Thursday 19 May 2011

The Shopaholic Student... can such a thing really exist?



Perched on a fluroescent pink sofa in the front of a pint-sized beauty salon, I patiently await my prebooked appointment, which was meant to be about twenty minutes ago now. This is why I make an effort not to be punctual. I find myself resigned to watching some Gaga booty shakin on the TV they have above the reception till, until I find a scattering of magazines to the left of me. Oh I do love a trashy magazine. Along with Penguin bars, Don't Tell the Bride and Gary Lineker, they're one of my many many vices. Then I recognise the cover of one I've seen around campus but have been too lazy/busy to go over and pick up. Cosmo on Campus. It's not bad at all, actually. It's got a little bitesize snippet of everything, from fashion, relationships to politics and is ridden with useful websites for the confused student who hasn't a clue regarding their future. And it's free. Great success. It's good at getting students involved with writing for it as well it seems, something I might look further into at a later date.

There was one section, where you could write in and maybe get your thoughts published, regarding a debate on whether it was possible to be a shopaholic on a student loan. One girl in the article argues that you can and the other argues you can't. Interesting. I might send in my (within the 150 word limit) thoughts, but the more I've been thinking about it, the more I have less of a definitive stance on either side of the arguement.

I guess, like any essay due in the following day, we should begin with defining the term 'shopaholic'. Dictionary.com explains it as 'a compulsive shopper.' What constitutes as compulsive? A new item every month? every week? every day? Personally I don't think I accurately reflect the typical university student's retail behavioural traits, but on average I would say I purchase a new item every couple of months. Which ultimately amounts to quite a lot. When you have to start piling clothes on top of your wardrobe, that's saying something, right?

I would, without a shadow of a doubt, regard myself as being addicted to retail and therefore, being a fully fledged shopaholic. As would my friends and family. Definitely the most notorious of my many many vices. I'm a bit of weirdo, just looking at clothes makes me feel relaxed and excited all at the same time. Strolling around a clothes store after a stressful exam, the calmness it induces in me would rival that of the Dalai Lama's. All the varying colours, texutres and shapes... I must have been a bumble bee in a past life. Often though, unlike the Dalai Lama, I am sinful and give into the temptation of the 10% discount with a student card and end up buying something. Dahh. So close.

Right now, as I near the end of my four year university extravaganza, my financial status is ok, but by far not the best. It's not always been like that though. Looking back with a nostalgic tear in my eye to my days of being a fresher, I was flippin loaded. There were, however, a number of sneaky reasons behind this. A big factor was that I didn't touch alcohol. First year is about going out four nights a week at least with the aim of getting as merry as possible. Imagine how much money that burns up. Only after February of first year, were my alcohol princliples lost and my teetotal status eviscerated. My rent included bills and the only other thing I spent my money on was food. And then I realised I had all of this money in my bank. And I could do whatever I wanted with it... if only I could go back in time and prevent that beguiling thought from ever slithering into my head.

My next year was spent in Morocco, so the spenditure on clothes was put on hold for a little longer. Then third year rolls along and I'm back in Leeds. Back with Topshop. And H&M. And Zara. And American Apparel... heaven for my wardrobe, but absolute hell for my bank balance. At this time I am also a converted alcohol consumer, I no longer live in halls and therefore have to pay bills on top of rent and also purchase a ridiculous number of books for my English modules. With the obvious necessity to buy food, the student loan begins to look a bit shaky. I know the key is to budget and not go crazy, but is it really sufficient enough? Does it leave you with enough after paying for all the boring things like rent, to be able to live a little and have some fun at the weekends? It probably does, and I'm just being spoilt and very unwise with my money. But even grocery shopping takes a hearty munch out of the funds these days. Morrisons isn't too bad, but go to the Co-op, (in particular the 24 hours one cleverly situated in a densely student populated area in Headingly, Leeds) and the prices are a bit on the Mad Hatter side.

Actually wait. Let's be brave and attempt some mathematics. My maitenance loan is £3293 to cover all my living costs. My rent is approximately £280 a month - and this number would vary up and down the country. Most student rent contracts are from July-July. So 12 x 280 = 3,360. £3,360 - which is more than the maitenance loan gives me. Is it just me or does this not add up?

Truth be told, without the help of those wonderous but often underappreciated creatures called parents - to help me out when I've most needed it, I think I would've found it pretty difficult to be able to afford such luxuries as clothes shopping whilst at uni. Knowing this is not the case for everybody, makes me feel extremely fortunate, but also makes me realise that it probably isn't wise to view your loan as something to whittle away. I've always seen university years as the time to work towards your future, but also a time to make the most of it before getting tied down with a job, and life becomes all about living for the weekend. It's a time to be carefree and frivolous and experience all aspects of life, but in a world where pennies equal almost everything, and when our generation is facing a bottomless pit of debt once we graduate, it's probably better to choose which of those experiences is worth doling out the cash for. Would I rather get that £45 dress, to add to the mass of clothes I already have, or save up for a holiday this summer? I would imagine, for the majority of us, it'd be the latter that wins.

The girl writing against the idea, made a very poigniant observation in regards to student discounts that encourage such spending, 'After all, 10% is just a lovely way of saying 90% on.' An insightful yet completely obvious thought that a lot of us disregard right?
So, does this mean I don't think you can be a shopaholic and a student simultaneously? It's that age old saying isn't it: Everything in moderation. I would be last in the line to act as a good role model for this motto, but as my time being a student draws closer to an end, and the fear of having to be a grown up and somehow trying to break it into the working world lurks ever more prominently in the crevices of my mind, the realisation is becoming more vivid every day. Being a shopaholic probably shouldn't be encouraged, but just being able to afford a few frivolities and luxuries is something that affects - unless you're rich and famous - everybody, not just students.


...Now to fit that all into 150 words...