Dan DaranciangFollowing in the footsteps of University heroes such as “Cara from the Real World,” a second Wash. U. alum has chosen to seek fame and fortune through the fantastic medium of MTV reality television. Julie Loewenberg, who graduated from the University last spring with a degree in fashion design, appeared in Episode 804 of MTV’s “True Life: I’m Moving to New York” this January. Intrigued by clips of students exiting Duncker Hall (which appeared on the commercials leading up to the debut of the episode), I decided to tune in to catch a fellow student in action and exert a little University pride.
Unfortunately, after watching the episode, I was incredibly surprised by my fellow student’s ability to become financially independent and make it in the real world of NYC. After obtaining an education worth, in the end, over $160,000, I would hope that we could all at least be able to pay our rent. However, if, like Julie, you’re used to having a monthly stipend for entertainment that exceeds $900 and regular lavish shopping sprees, maintaining your high-class lifestyle in the postcollegiate world will be challenging, and a basic electric bill may seem daunting if not completely unpayable.
In the end, Julie really wasn’t able to become financially independent. She maxed out her parents’ credit cards, blew $600 in less than an hour, paid only half of the rent for her apartment and bought a round of drinks for her friends at a swanky New York bar, all on her parents’ plastic.
As a result, we here at Cadenza were interested to see if Julie’s life really represents the life of the regular Wash. U. grad. Are we all really spoiled socialites, and are any of us (excluding the engineers who have companies banging down their doors with job offers) going to make it on our own? To find out, Cadenza conducted a very unscientific survey of 20 students found wandering through Whispers Caf‚ on Tuesday afternoon. How did they stack up compared to our MTV diva-alum? The results are below:
Students surveyed:
Grad student: 1
Super senior: 1
Senior: 5
Junior: 1
Sophomore: 5
Freshman: 7
Percentage of students surveyed whose parents help them out financially: 100 percent
Economic stratification:
Lower middle class: 0
Middle class: 5
Upper middle class: 13
Lower upper class: 2
In debt after graduation:
Yes: 3
No: 17
Post-WU financial status:
Complete financial independence/cut off: 6
Parents will help only if necessary: 9
Parents will pay for graduate school: 3
Parents will help with finances: 2
Most common thoughts associated with the words “trust fund”:
vacation, money, not me, Paris Hilton, silver spoon, rich kid
After completing this survey, Cadenza found that apparently no one at Wash. U. is currently making it on their own. Out of all of the students surveyed, not a single one paid for his or her own room and board, and almost everyone identified themselves as upper-middle class (meaning that most people were afraid to admit that they came from money). However, almost everyone surveyed also said that they hope to be financially independent from their parents after graduation. While this was Julie’s claim at the beginning of her episode, hopefully the survey participants will all be a bit luckier in managing their budgets and their need to buy designer shoes for $300.
However, if you’d rather be a Wash. U. alum turned MTV star than an independent 20-something, go to mtv.com and try auditioning for one of their upcoming True Life episodes, including, “I’m a Sumo Wrestler,” “I’m on Meth” and “I’m a Former Cheater.” Whether you’re a player, a drug addict or an oversized fighter, please audition! Someone needs to prove that we’re more than a sassy outfit and our parents’ checkbooks. We’re almost a top-10 university. Almost.