Capitalism and My Bank Account

After living in a school uniform for four years, it seems I neglected my closet. It was a rather chilly day a few weeks ago when I opened my closet to find nothing. Okay, there were clothes, but not any that I'd wear at my present age (or size, for that matter).

But fret not, after two weeks of sporadic shopping and plenty of disappointment in the stores at my local mall, yesterday I finally completed what can be called my "fall wardrobe." From the time I returned home until, oh, five minutes ago, I was suddenly stress free.

So, what happened in the last five minutes?
I checked my bank account balance.

I don't think I could ever really call myself a frugal person. I've got the mindset, but when it comes down to it, saving money is not my forte. It's not as though I have a problem, it's just that a) my friends seem to have a lot more than me and are willing to pay that much more for things and b) everything these days is so damn expensive!

I'm expected to be able to afford clothing, food, and whatever little I'd need for recreational activities like seeing movies, as well as saving as much as I can to go to university next fall on the measly paychecks I get from my minimum-wage, few shift part-time job. Now, I get it, it's a part-time job, I shouldn't expect much. But damnit, I'm sick of stressing over money!

The world isn't fair anymore! Capitalism has ruined us, I think. People have become monsters, only worried about how much they can leech from consumers rather than selling things for its worth. But perhaps clothing isn't my main target of criticism...

I value education, understand it's importance, but honestly $19 000 just for one year of schooling (this including residence, etc.), to me, is ridiculous. It's justifiable, sure, because no where else offers a cheaper education (or at least not by much). But back in the day, it was far cheaper to go off to school! Universities actually wanted students to attend. Now, it seems, their concern for bettering their students only goes so far...if you can pay them the amount of a house for your bachelor's degree.

On one hand, it seems worth it to just go to a different university or college that might allow me to go into debt at a smaller level. But the fact is, I have dreams, I know where I want to go, and to have to tailor that because the government won't help out its students is preposterous.
Did you know that after the Second World War the Canadian government considered scrapping tuition fees all together? Why can't this idea/attitude hold up today?

Everyone's entitled to education, to clothing, to a home, to food...but not all of us can afford it.
The world's becoming a sad place.
I just wish the people in charge of these things would be a little more empathetic.

You can go back to your life now.

Kiah