A closer look at the Waldo apartment building many students rent from.
LAILI SHAHRESTANI / THE QUADRANGLE
Laili Shahrestani, Features Editor
New York City has been labeled as one of the most expensive cities in the world to live in for multiple years on end, resulting in affordability issues and financial struggles for many individuals. Manhattan University students remain one of the many communities of New Yorkers who feel impacted by the cost of living in the city, and are redefining what financial survival looks like to them through budgeting, sharing rent and working multiple jobs.
Leaving behind family and moving to college can be a struggle on its own, but is oftentimes exemplified when finances come into the picture. Fiona Dunkel, a senior psychology major, spoke to this idea, emphasizing how becoming more financially independent, especially upon entering college, can be a struggle for many.
“I think a lot of people, once they get to college, may not have the same stability as they would living at home with a parent or a guardian,” Dunkel said. “And I think going to college, especially in the city, is going to be expensive. There’s not much to do that doesn’t involve spending money.”
To help combat this issue, Dunkel mentioned how she makes an effort to be mindful about how she spends her money, and implements budgeting tactics whenever she can.
“I try to make little budgeting changes, such as making a coffee at home instead of buying coffee at a coffee shop on my way to class,” Dunkel said. “You know, even with late night snacking, especially after a night out, I try to have things at home that I can eat, such as leftovers.”
In addition to budgeting, many Jaspers share rent with one or more roommates as a means to make living in New York City more affordable, and work toward redefining financial survival.
Sam Wofford, a senior communication major, spoke about his personal experience with sharing rent with his two other roommates. He mentioned how by doing so while also actively budgeting, he has been able to manage living in one of the world’s most expensive cities.
“I live in an off-campus apartment in the Waldo building, and have two roommates,” Wofford said. “We all share rent evenly, and our rent is $3,075, which is a $75 increase from last year. Separately, we all pay around $1,020…Living in the city can be overwhelming, but still manageable. Just listen to the basic ideas that your parents always tell you throughout high school about budgeting, such as trying to budget your groceries to maybe around $75 a week.”
Similar to Wofford, Brooklyn Schriver, a senior communication major, also made the decision to share rent with a number of roommates to help combat the prices of the city. She spoke about her housing arrangement, and how she has found it to be less expensive than living on-campus.
“I live in a house on Riverdale Avenue, and I have four roommates, two of them who are friends, and then the other two are people who go to this school, but I ended up meeting them through living together,” Schriver said. “I’ve been living there for two years now, and I like it a lot. You save a lot of money, compared to living on campus. We also have an in-unit washer and dryer, which is really nice because that saves money too.”
Schriver emphasized how although she is saving money by sharing rent, she was still taken aback by the cost of living in New York City, moving to the city from Utah. She spoke about how she works several jobs as well as an internship as a way to manage expenses.
“Coming here as an out-of-state student, I would say the biggest culture shock were the prices here, and how much everything costs,” Schriver said. “I definitely am going to be in debt for a long time. I take out loans, and I also work two jobs. I have an on-campus job, and then I also have my internship, so those help bring in income.”
Schriver briefly explained what types of jobs and side hustles she has taken part in over the past few years she has been living in New York City.
“I have a work-study job on campus, where I work in the archives, and also have an internship with the New York Sports Club, which brings me a second income,” Schriver said. “I also do a little freelancing here and there, with videos and photos. Sometimes, I make graphics for people back home, or sell clothes on Depop.”
Isabela Sofis, a junior biology major, is managing expenses by having multiple businesses while still being a full-time college student. Sofis explained more about what led her to begin these businesses, and how they became what they are today.
“I have a sewing business, but then I also have a Depop business,” Sofis said. “I realized I just had way too much stuff, and I didn’t want to throw it all away, so I started selling it. And I’ve been sewing since I was 10 years old, so I’ve always known how to do it. My friends started asking me, ‘Oh, can you fix this?’ and they would also tell their friends, and all of a sudden people started coming to me asking to help fix or tailor their clothes.”
Similar to Schriver, Sofis is also an out-of-state student, who says that everything is much more expensive living in New York City.
“I’m from out of the state, so it’s extra expensive for me here,” Sofis said. “I mean here, you always need like three bucks to just get on the subway. It adds up, so I always need money.”
While New York City prices rank higher than most places, Schriver spoke about how it is still worth it for her to live in the city due to all the positive experiences and opportunities she’s had. She mentioned that living in the city takes hard work, but is rewarding in the end.
“In New York City, I think it is all about hustling if you want to live here,” Schriver said. “You have to go in with the mindset that it’s going to be expensive, but it’s a price you’re willing to pay to be in the city. Like, there’s so many different opportunities to make money, and also to meet people, network and further yourself career-wise.”