In the middle of March, I lost three jobs in the span of 24 hours. One moment I was employed and living comfortably, hanging out with my friends near St.Patrick’s day—in the next, I was living through one of the most bizarre events I could’ve ever thought possible, my world uprooted.
I know that I’m far from alone in my financial struggles caused by the pandemic. Throughout the summer months, I watched my friends struggle alongside me—even my family was affected when my father lost his job unexpectedly.
No one’s life has escaped the pandemic unscathed. COVID-19 has altered everyone’s aspirations and forced people to re-evaluate their life plans.
At the beginning of 2020, I wasn’t planning on returning to Queen’s for a fifth year. I was set to graduate and wanted to start saving money to put towards my dream of moving abroad. But when COVID-19 hit Canada, I found myself going down a path I never planned on taking.
I decided that, in the grand scheme of things, taking a fifth year wasn’t a bad idea. In the midst of a global economic crisis, being in school is one of the financially safest places I could be. I cannot stress enough how grateful I am for the creation and distribution of CERB and CESB—even for someone like me who’s worked nonstop since I was 16 years old, I still wasn’t financially prepared to lose my sources of income so suddenly.
I can’t help but worry that come tax season, I will be heavily taxed because of CERB. I don’t think I am the only one who is conscious of the fact that the government’s could come back to haunt me in the future.
This is why I’m saving every single penny that I can—now more than ever.
The pandemic has forced me to be more financially responsible, and the uncertainty of the future has been a strong motivator to start keeping a budget. As a student, it’s important that I prioritize basic needs over luxuries, especially now that, with strict provincial guidelines back in place, my employment is once again uncertain. This year, I even chose to forego student loans and opt to only accept grants through OSAP.
These past few months have taught me the importance of balancing my funds. Keeping a social life can get expensive, but if there’s any silver lining to these strenuous times, it’s that my friends and I have discovered inexpensive and innovative ways to make the most out of life in the middle of a pandemic.
After all, you can’t put a price on happiness—but you sure can budget it.
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