Who am I?  I live in an excuse for a house that would look at home in a third world shantytown.  I eat the worst of foods ranging from beans on toast to beans on toast.  I wash myself in the toilet that was used in "Trainspotting".  Yes, I am a student living away from home.  As if the afore mentioned characteristics didn't make live hard enough I also have to live up to the expectations of my parents and friends.

This is no laughing matter.  I have to keep my parents happy by being the pinnacle of college society and passing all my exams first time while trying to impress my peers with stories of late night sessions on the town and my sexual conquests (which aren't very much to talk about I'm afraid).  This is what you are up against and none of it can be done to satisfaction due to one major problem.

Take a minute to think of things from our (students) perspective.  We are giving up the chance to earn good money from a full time job to ultimately further our education.  True, the craic along the way eases the sacrifice but, at the end of the day, we are trying to better ourselves.  Our superior knowledge, degrees, diplomas and what not will, eventually, is better for this country.  Now, knowing all this you would think the government would do something to make it easier for students to survive.  They haven't let us down.  They gave themselves a collective pat on the back and a pay rise and left us to survive on 49 pound per week.  Now, I've nothing personal against unemployed people but if they deserve 73.50 per week for not having jobs surely people working towards the betterment of the country deserve the same.

The majority of students, to put it bluntly, are strapped for cash.  Aside from the odd night out we need money for food, clothing, shelter, travel and equipment.  A grant of so little barely covers rent and bills.  Why not work?  Well, simply, because the majority of students who have turned to part-time work to ease the strife end up failing end of term exams because "I was in work that day".  So it's a vicious circle, you work to afford college but fail college because you were working.  The grants need to be increased and given to all students in full time education because if your parents are wealthy and you don't qualify for the current grant, it doesn't mean that they don't uphold the old-fashioned beliefs of earning for yourself.  In those cases you're worse off with no income from home or the pittance called the grant.

This is a major issue that needs to be dealt with NOW!  How can opposition ignore us when for a small price they could get 100,000 student votes in the next election?  A very small price for power.  It's time that the students did something, so look out in your college for any signs about protests and get involved or if you are of the older generation lend your support anywhere you can.  This is an age-old dispute used to gain power in elections all the time but for how much longer?  Do you not want a more affordable college life or are you happy wondering where the next meal is coming from?  The time is now!