Not as bad as it seems.....Archive!!!

Not as bad as it seems.....
A couple of minutes ago, I was just watching Hit breakfast show "this morning" showing on ITV day and on the show, Philip schofield and Fern Britton were discussing student debts. To buttress their point, they had on a couple whose son (a student at the Swansea institute) had just committed suicide as a result of what looked like a burdensome financial situation. It was a gruesome story and that’s the undisputed truth. I could only imagine what his parents were going through, having gone through a similar experience last year with Ivana's near fatality (or failed suicide attempts)! However, the story didn't quite click with me. I could only wonder why someone would actually go through with ‘IT’ over student loans and unpaid bills as a student. I mean, the boy was only 19 or 20 with years ahead of him....could there have been more to the story? Perhaps this lack of understanding was as a result of our cultural differences or societal background!
Its no longer news that the UK is coping with an entire generation already in debt before they hit thirty but the unfortunate reality is the alternative exemplified with the very presence of international students here in the UK. Forced to leave their respective countries as a result of the appalling educational standards there(or other reasons), these students have to cough out up to ten times the amount the British or home students have to pay in fees...yours truly not excluded! Not that I have a valid reason of complaint, after all there's always the alternative of our under funded, mis-managed universities in Nigeria. My good friend Alex (lucky bugger is holidaying in London as usual) who’s just graduated from the University of Lagos in Nigeria told me the hilarious story of his graduation and their graduation gowns. Disregard the fact that some of the would be graduates just found out on the graduation day that they would not be graduating that year (personally I don’t believe that bit), the lucky few who got confirmation of their places at the momentous occasion promptly set out to get the necessary accessories for the event, a graduation gown sitting right at the top of the list. According to standard procedure, they rented the gowns for a certain amount; also paying in a deposit for the safe return of the precious gowns. After the ceremony, all sauntered down to the office to turn in the gowns in return for their deposited funds as was the agreement. As should have been expected, they met a different story when they got there. The secretary or office assistant or whatever adjective they use nowadays promptly refused to pay out the deposits in protest for the students “wickedness”. In her opinion, their failure to tender a part of their celebratory victuals as homage to her important office only incurred her wrath (in this case a refusal to refund their deposits). Typical of students anywhere in the world, they promptly called her a fucking thief and reported her to her superior who arranged a refund. The moral of the story? Amongst other things, don't bite off more than you can chew!
On a serious note, its about time British students realized how good they have it. In Nigerian Local parlance, a lot of money goes into making good soup! Education is a priceless commodity that really should be valued more than it is now, just taking a look at ghettos from around the world. At the moment there are Nigerian students in the UK in worse situations, I personally know a girl who is 14,000pounds in debt as a result of a dramatic change of fortunes experienced by her sponsors in Nigeria. With no loans or grants in sight, she has no choice but to carry on. They (British students) should also be grateful for the opportunities afforded them in the forms of various loans and grants. Of course it could be argued that citizens deserve the best possible from their governments but in times like these, one look at the have not's helps in the realization of the fact that your situation might not be as bad as it seems.........