By Anonymous

Content warning: mention of anxiety

The American ideology of self-sufficiency and inherent, unbounded individual potential, reinforced in many ways by Wellesley, has deeply poisoned how I perceive myself. Being poor at Wellesley has always felt like a personal failure. Why can’t I just work more hours at my jobs? Why can’t I get a job during the school year that pays better? The reality is my jobs can’t give me more hours, I already have two of the best paying jobs on campus, and I need time to devote to academics as well as taking care of my health. How can I pull myself up by the bootstraps if I can’t afford boots?