When going out to eat, she sometimes makes a face if I mention something being too expensive, since she is going into debt to the point where eating out is a luxury to her.

While my tuition and books are covered, I’m also receiving significant scholarships to bring down the cost of my school’s $51,000 a year tuition. I make money doing freelance work in addition to investing money wisely.

My parents did not pay for their own college educations and knew it would be unfair to force me to pay for my own. My parents said my number one job was being the best student possible–money should not be a chief concern, especially if they could help it (and they could).

The best balance is to have parents or relatives cover certain costs and have students make personal contributions to education. Work out an equitable agreement, really. I have other friends who go to school for free (in the sense that their parents cover EVERYTHING). Yes, they may come from wealthier families than me, but respect/diligence knows know bounds. Rich or poor–those two factors play a key role in character development.

In the long run, I will not be disillusioned when graduating from college. I know what bills looks like, have paid my credit cards in full every month, and always seek out ways to reduce my grocery costs every week. Friends graduating with no sense of personal finance are at a major disadvantage, considering how privileged their backgrounds are.