I know there is not one student on this campus who has not been in the same situation I find myself in constantly.

Your job doesn’t pay well.

You have bills always due.

When you go to a bar with your friends, you regret it the next day. And you always expect moths to fly out of your wallet the instant you open it and pull out that last dog-eared dollar.

Having to face the reality that your money has disappeared the way French-rolling your jeans, mullets and C & C Music Factory has, can make you pretty depressed.

It can be a real bummer when you wake up the next day and realize you are bankrupt after blowing all your money on a keg. Desperation soon seeps into your head when you notice all your clothes are dirty, you could use a haircut and the work packet for your class has finally come back from the printers and they want $20 for it.

If you could, you’d kick yourself.

There is no way to ignore it, you are poor.

I have had to deal with this bear on my back since I moved here.

It can be a little embarrassing being forced to place spare change into penny rolls and take them down to the bank. I always want to hide when I place them on the counter and the bank teller gives me a smirk, trying desperately to hold back from asking, “Would you like it all in hundreds, Diamond Jim?”

Then, of course, there is the decision of whether you want to eat Saturday night, or go out. I should be thinner than what I am. In my mind, eating at any fast food joint will give me an hour of pleasure. If I go out though, I’ll have an entire night of fun.

One way to help you decide is by reminding yourself just how unhealthy fast food is.

“Burgers will only give me a bigger gut,” I always think to myself. But it’s not working.

Laundry is one of the worst problems. I know the pain of having to rinse out that pair of dirty socks in the bathroom sink - using a bar of soap as laundry detergent. I have even gone to such lengths as cutting open hair gel bottles and getting that last glob to keep my quaff looking good.

I don’t mind taking back pop and beer bottles for the deposit. However, it can be somewhat embarrassing if you take all of them back after a huge party and then buy beer with the deposit.

If you do not want to look like you have a drinking problem, I highly suggest you never do this.

Probably the worst thing about being poor is dating. I have gone on dates with only five dollars and a lint covered mint that I discovered in my coat pocket for later on. Then if God smiles on me, the date won’t end when I explain we will be going over to my place for a candle lit dinner - complete with canned ravioli prepared by the great culinary artist, Chef Boyardee.

I realize by letting loose these heavily guarded secrets, I have managed to destroy what small amount of cool I have built up in my 22 years. I don’t care though, and being in college is about being poor. We all have had these experiences.

Some of the best times I’ve had in my time here have not involved money I don’t have in my pocket. My favorite memories have been playing hackie sack out on my front yard with friends, the first time I had a story published in the paper and, of course, when my roommate and I threw his broken recliner out our second story window.

These are things that didn’t take money to do - I was with my friends and we were having fun.

In the end, I know I’ll look at my time here as one of the best times of my life.

Being poor hasn’t really stopped me from having fun. I have just tried to cram in as much fun here since I arrived in the fall. I have some catching up to do with many of the students who have been here from the start.

The good times I have now, make up for the money that I can’t spend.

Shaun Byron, a State News intern, is willing to let you buy him dinner - or anything else for that matter. He can be reached at byronsha@msu.edu.