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Today’s Ypulse Youth Advisory Board post is from Bernadette Anat, a student at the University of Southern California who has seen and felt the economic crisis affect college life firsthand. Remember, you can communicate directly with any member of the Ypulse Youth Advisory Board by emailing them at youthadvisoryboard at ypulse.com…or just leave a comment!

How The Recession Has Hit Campus

Two years ago, “recession” did not exist in teen-speak. It was foreign — even worse, it was part of adult-ese. A “recession” was something happening way off on Capitol Hill that I might hear a few syllables about as I flip through CNN on my way to MTV. But now, all I have to do is say, “Well, y’know… the recession,” and people of all ages would understand why I’m taking the bus at night in South Central Los Angeles.

We’re knee-deep in our economic collapse, and even young people can’t ignore it – Seventeen, MTV, even Perez Hilton is talking about what it means to our generation. Teens everywhere are feeling chafed by America’s tightened belt. And as an unfortunate spokeswoman, the term “poor college student” has never aroused more pity than it does today. It has many of us asking when will we see change (pun absolutely intended).

One thing is definite: All aspects of college have been affected by the (insert doom music) recession.

It begins with the application stage — I’m at the University of Southern California and I constantly hear about friends’ siblings letting go of their UC-wishes and Ivy League dreams. State schools are just looking more practical, as is the community college route where by taking classes at a local CC for two years, and then transferring into a University you side-step debt and still get the degree.

And the application climate is taking a surprising turn — since colleges will be more conscious of meeting enrollment quotas, USA Today thinks that public schools will become more selective, while private schools will become less competitive.

I personally chose a notoriously pricey but merciful school that offered great financial aid. But as with many other families hit by the recession, we sought extra funding this year through endowments. The response? A politely-worded email along the lines of, “Try again in five years, kid — we’re feeling the heat, too.”

It’s a scary concept since endowments are such a critical fund, especially at private schools. But according to the Wall Street Journal, we have the recession to thank for the $94-billion dollar plunge in national college endowments between July and November of last year. For us college students, this could mean bigger post-college debt, smaller financial aid offers, and more holes in our own wallets.

Which is why students like me spend their extra hours at Work Study. You know, the bored-looking undergrads behind any given reception desk on campus? More students are looking to these odd jobs to ease college debt and earn weekend cash. But I received an unpleasant surprise when I looked at my new work-study schedule in January – I’d be working 4 hours a week less than I used to. Through the grapevine, I found out that everyone’s work study hours had been slashed across campus, some just working one or two hours a week. Not only was there less money to earn, but many departments had enforced a hiring freeze over winter break.

Another huge problem is the job search: being amongst thousands of overachievers in energy-charged L.A., freshmen and sophomores who once cruised through their undergrad years are now scrambling to find internships. Because of the financial squeeze, paid internships are in higher demand at a lower supply – many struggling students decide to suck it up and take unpaid internships, in hopes of padding their resume and having a better chance at paid jobs post-graduation.

There’s a lot less to scroll through on our school’s online job listings; the other day, a friend complained about checking Craigslist.com for internships as often as she checks her Facebook. This has obviously gone too far.

So what can we do when, as the Huffington Post puts it, the credit and hiring freezes are also “freezing the educational dreams” of too many Generation Y-ers?

Along with keeping grades up to make yourself a more valuable job candidate, applying to more affordable schools, keeping an eye out for internships and scholarships, my friends and I have grown to rely on the internet as the ultimate resource for our recent cheapness. My best friend checks Slickdeals.net daily for ridiculous coupons for absolutely anything (I’m talking food in bulk, packs of underwear — and $5.00 for iPod speakers?!) and I buy and sell my used books on Half.com.

For college students, the recession means sacrifice, and sacrifice simply means getting more resourceful and more creative (don’t even get me started on the on campus medical experiments my friends and I have done for cash). We’re in a great position to acknowledge the struggle, measure our steps and plan ahead. With a little extra sweat and a lot of that signature optimism, our generation can stay afloat.

For more campus coverage, visit the Ypulse Campus Channel, sponsored by Campus Media Group.

About Bernadette

Bernadette is a simple creature – all she wants out of life is to eat, write, dance and talk. But she hasn’t found a way to do all four at once without a getting major cramp. Other than talking with her mouth full, Bernadette can be found beach-cruisin’ through the brick paths of the University of Southern California as a sophomore studying Public Relations. It sounds fancy, but all she really wants to do is write to, talk with and help teenagers until she’s wrinkly and gross. Bernadette is a former “Freshman 15″ and a current Los Angeles correspondent for Seventeen Magazine, but she’s been journaling, blogging and Dear-Abby-ing since she was 8. This San Francisco native is a lot like her hair – crazy, in-your-face, and full of surprises.

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Categorized under: Collegians, Youth Advisory Board

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