The Cost of Belonging in University

It’s a Saturday night at Western University. The city is feeling electric and ready to celebrate the weekend, music can be heard blasting from every house in the area.

Western student Eden Wright has a sorority formal in two hours and desperately needs a new outfit along with a quick run to the liquor store. She runs to the store shortly before she gets to see her friends, and shakingly taps her card on the machine ignoring the declining numbers in her bank account.

Tonight, will be worth it.

Western student Chantelle Major has no assignments coming up and a big night ahead of her. She checks her bank account to see the damage done from the night before and debates if splurging on this week’s groceries would be a more efficient way to spend her money. Her friends rally in the door dancing and shouting acting super excited. She decides to join in with her friends with a bright smile on her face. She’ll figure out groceries later.

While reusing an old dress or responsibility staying home could have been seen as the better option for these two students, the want to belong overtakes their ability to budget.

In university, there are many factors that drive you to spend money. Whether it’s as simple as grabbing lunch with an old friend or joining a frat or sorority. Money signs are everywhere, and for the ones that can afford it, what a fun university experience they can have. However, those that can’t often suffer from making tough decisions to invest in something practical or embrace a “carpe diem” mindset and splurge.

Wright is a second-year English student at Western University who describes her first-year experience of making friends as somewhat difficult. She says, “It was hard to meet people in Elgin (Hall) because it was more closed doors compared to other residences.” Wright decided to join a sorority in order to make more connections with students on campus and meet people she wouldn’t have met otherwise. Of course, joining a sorority came with a fee and active involvement resulting in a huge time commitment, she says. Wright took advantage of the opportunity of joining a sorority that highlights the idea of making friends with people who you can have genuine relationships with, despite the fee.

“It’s good to find people on campus who have the same values as you do.” Wright is also a member of the Arts and Humanities Soph team. This team also requires a fee but with it, many connections are made, and you meet people in your program that care about the same things you do, ultimately enrichening the university experience.

When referring to her involvement with Western, she says, “It makes campus feel so much smaller it and it makes you feel like you belong on campus, by seeing so many people you know.” Wright describes her experience in both of these extracurriculars as the best thing she’s done in university regardless of the cost. “It definitely stung to pay the fee, but in the end, it was worth it.”

Because of all these connections she has made through becoming involved, Wright has a wide social life. When asked how much is usually spent on a weekend out, she replied, “too much.” When factoring in the costs of outfits for different events, or even themed parties, it adds up fairly quickly.

Maya Lampert is also a second-year student at Western University and is a part of a sorority. She is in the MIT program and describes the decision to get involved as important to the university experience. Lampert says, “Now that I’m in a sorority, I can’t imagine school without it” Lampert also stresses how time-consuming extracurriculars can be. “If you don’t show up, you’re wasting your money while also missing out. You paid a large amount for it, make it worth it.” Getting involved means dedicating your time and effort to an extracurricular. But, if you’re not careful, the cost of time commitment could be for your grades to suffer.

Fear of missing out or, FOMO plays a large factor in students’ lives. According to www.verywellmind.com, FOMO is, “the uneasy and sometimes all-consuming feeling that you’re missing out—that your peers are doing, in the know about, or in possession of more or something better than you.” FOMO can play a huge role in students’ lives by compelling them to do things they may not be able to afford, out of fear of being left out

Students who aren’t necessarily members in the organized forms of getting involved on campus, still have other factors pressing them towards tapping their credit cards.

Major, a second-year science student, describes her first-year experience as fun, along with too much money being spent.

“I didn’t want to miss going out with my friends, but that resulted in me spending around $20 a night, and me and my friends went out around three times a week. So, it adds up really quickly,” says Major. As time when on, Major describes how she was able to manage her money better, for example, busing when going out instead of taking an Uber. However, participating in social events always seemed to have something to do with money and the pressures in spending it.

“It’s hard to just study all the time and not participate in social life, not every night has to be spent drinking either. Even catching up with friends always has something to do with money.” Whether it’s $8 for a coffee and bagel at The Spoke, or $5 cover at The Ceeps, there are constantly minus signs on Major’s credit bill.

In university, you don’t just pay tuition and leave it there; there are many added costs and responsibilities that come along with a social life. University is more than just studying, there’s an added cost of belonging to a community as well. Students are facing a constant struggle in dealing with FOMO and the pressures of spending money in order to have a social university experience. The cost of belonging is a bill students have to pay, however, Wright says, “You get out of university, and these four years, what you put into it.”