Once everyone was registered for the semester there were classes to be attended, books to be sold and refunds to be collected. Last Wednesday many students rejoiced when their student account was graced with the right amount of refund. In the past the refunds were used as tickets for shopping sprees and other forms of irresponsible spending.
Sophomore Brittany Segura used her refund to buy school supplies and tend to personal needs and debts.
“I bought the books I needed for school, paid a family loan and purchased something I’ve been wanting for a while, an iPod,” she said.
Knowing that the country remains in economic distress; students are now using their cash for bare necessities. Senior Ashlee Burns and Monique Wallace believe that financial business should be taken care of before entertainment.
“I have paid my rent and paid my credit card off with my refund,” she said. “I plan to continue to pay my bills then I’ll go shopping.”
Wallace took the same route.
“I paid off my rent and car insurance for the rest of the semester, bought my books, put money in the church and I plan to save the rest so that the refund will gain interest.” Wallace said.
The refunds have taken longer than usual to be posted to students accounts but Grambling has been working diligently to accommodate during the confusion. The refund process has also humbled students and has given them a positive outlook on their pocket and education.
“While waiting for my refund lead me to say that I need to stay in school, so that I won’t have to be on welfare for the rest of my life,” said Wallace. “I chose not become frustrated I just waited patiently.”
Students have been eager for the long awaited refunds to disperse. “I haven’t waited this long before to get my refund in the past,” Burns said.
While waiting for their refund students have experienced miscommunication with the office of financial aid and by this, students have waited longer than usual for this annual reward. “I had to switch over my loan because financial aid failed to tell me that the company I chose to borrow from didn’t do student loans any more” Burns said.
Being a senior and someone who knows how Grambling operates in this situation Burns shares advice to the incoming freshmen and continuing students. “Get your stuff done on time, do not wait for the last minute to do anything.