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Seems like there has been a lot of talk about money lately. If you have a significant amount tied up in the stock market you are feeling a crunch. The other population that is worried? College students.

It appears that the 700 billion the government is spending to bail out 'main street' isn't going to do much to assure graduate students like myself have access to the money they need to finish education.

I am lucky that I am not reliant on private loans, but most of my classmates are. Even my government loans used to run through a private carrier, but at the last minute they switched us all over to Federal Direct loans. Should have known something big was going down...

As college students we spend way to much time worrying about money. Well, at least I do. I am one of the lucky ones but still I find myself balancing the need to be frugal with the need to be social. Add some pressure to get a couple hundred pages of theory and case studies read each week, papers, midterms... Internships, thesis's, jobs... you get my point.

DC is not a cheap place to live. I know a few people paying as much as $1500 for STUDIOS! Not to mention 'grabbing a bite' to eat is never a inexpensive endeavor. They don't like you to spilt entree or bills here either. Produce is a lot more too.

The upside is all of the monuments and museums are free and you can usually bum a free meal from a Table Talk or campus event, but they also take up a lot of time and effort.

Transportation is a whole new obstacle. It takes an hour for me to get just about everywhere and it usually costs at least $2, one way. Plus gas prices are through the roof in the district.

Ahhhh. So, my point? Please consider your college attending friends and family members this holiday season. They might not have access to the loans they need next year and they could use some free food, some hand-me down clothes/shoes, and maybe even a ride. Or maybe I just mean me.