• Earn your keep and be content, never mind those with sponsors or wash wash trades
Life is an interesting thing. When some people are working very hard to make it to the next day, others are living their best lives.
This is reflected in institutions of higher learning. Whereas some students work so hard to survive, some seem to be living large. The outcome of this is that the strugglers tend to feel hopeless, sometimes even envious, of their peers.
What, then, brings the difference between students living the high life and those merely surviving? Their incomes. But where do these incomes come from? Many students have side hustles. Online writing is particularly one favourite income-earning activity. Others run businesses along a wide array of product lines, others, such as artistes, monetise their talents, and others may be lucky to find a part-time job in their line of profession.
If you have conversations with students engaged in such activities, you will find that most of their income-generating activities bring in just a moderate amount of income. Few have sources of income that bring in returns high enough to enable them to live large, and they often have to work extremely hard for their returns. The majority, however, get just a fair amount of income.
How, then, are the rich 22-year-olds you see flaunting their lifestyles on social media going about it? The first source of such money is parental support. Parents have different financial abilities. And those who have higher incomes or love to spoil their children can give them hefty allowances that may allow the children to love large.
Illegal schemes are another thing many resort to. You are probably aware of the various schemes people have come up with to swindle others of their money. The schemes are now commonly referred to as ‘wash wash’. Some students may be accessories in those complex webs of swindlers. Given that the schemes deal with large amounts of money, when they successfully con someone, they get a sizeable share of the loot. Moreover, given this is money that is not earned through hard work and sweat, it is easy to waste as one did not feel the pinch of earning it.
Can we forget the impact of sponsor culture? Today, it is done more openly, with some students even being known as ‘brokers’ in the ‘business’. They connect students with potential sponsors then earn a commission. I bet we all know that those with benefactors are good at setting artificial standards on social media.
If you can afford to meet your basic needs, and you do this legitimately, give yourself a pat on the back. You are doing well in life. The culture that is prevalent in society may not recognise this because of an obsession with the high life, so do not expect them to. Be happy with what you have, even as you dream of growth.
When you can, treat yourself within your means, and don’t be envious of what others are doing, or be proud and look down upon those you may be doing better than. Rich 22-year-olds probably have someone financing their rich lifestyles. Don’t be pressured by it.