College is generally the time students move out on their own and, in the process, learn why their parents told them to stay young as long as they could.

With an apartment comes rent, among various other sundry and necessary bills. The saying “easy come, easy go” in regard to money suddenly makes sense.

At a university like Loyola, where many off-campus students live within walking distance, this is a common sentiment on campus.

While universities offer some financial assistance in the form of the work-study program, for example, some students find it necessary to make up the missing difference with additional work or jobs.

Suzanne Stokes, graphic design senior, described work-study as a great opportunity to do homework and make money, but said the minimum wage rate didn’t add up at the end of the month.

“I did it (work-study) my freshman year, and it is enough to cover tuition costs but it really didn’t cover anything else,” she said.

Stokes began working at Foodies Kitchen, because, she said, “I made more money there, and I was able to work more hours.”

Stokes moved into her first apartment her sophomore year; she said her parents helped with half her rent and she was to cover the rest.

Stokes now works at the Audubon Golf Course where she drives the drink cart on the weekends. She is paid an hourly wage and receives tips.

In addition to her school schedule and first job, she also has an unpaid internship at Studio Mundi where she works two to three days a week.

Stokes, a New Orleans native, no longer lives in the city because the cost of renting became too much post-Katrina. “It just became a money pit, it was hard to justify paying rent when my mom lived so close.” She now commutes from her mother’s home on the North Shore.

Joseph Harper, philosophy senior and a native of Chicago, waits tables at Kyoto on Prytania Street to make ends meet.

“Most of the staff is in school and working three or four days a week,” he said.

Harper lives in the Marigny and rides his bicycle to school and work everyday. He doesn’t have to work as much as he used to since he was able to save money in Chicago during the Katrina semester.

“The hurricane hit, and I took a year off to save money,” he said.

Joseph’s schedule was far more hectic before he had a chance to save up. “I remember the days when I had to work a lot … before the hurricane, my junior year at Loyola. I had a lot to balance, 29 hours of off-campus work and an eight-hour schedule. I don’t know how I did it.”

Lizzie Ford-Madrid can be reached at [email protected].

Stokes’ job at the Audubon Golf Course allows her to earn more than she was able to at her work study job. (Lizzie Ford-Madrid)