"When I was twenty-two, I cared about two things: books and becoming the sort of person who knew things about books. I lived in the soft, caffeinated cocoon of literature at my quaint little liberal arts school in Upstate New York and never once thought about compound interest or the future version of myself who would complain about neck pain and the price of a burger."
"When I got my first job I nearly skipped contributing to my 401(k) because I just didn't know what it was. It was a cubicle mate who suggested I contribute because it was the right thing to do. When my first paycheck arrived, I was so stunned by taxes that I cried and called my dad. I got a second job to continue to afford to live in New York City. I felt so stupid, so ignorant and so completely overwhelmed."
"This is why I get excited when college students ask me about Roth IRAs and insurance deductibles and investing. They are not expected to understand any of this yet. They have not earned enough money to lose any. They have not felt the sting of a surprise tax bill or signed a lease they secretly knew they could not sustain."
At twenty-two the narrator focused on books and becoming knowledgeable about them, attending a small liberal arts school in Upstate New York. Financial matters such as compound interest and future health and living costs were absent from that perspective. Early career experiences revealed acute financial ignorance: uncertainty about 401(k)s, shock at taxes, and taking a second job to afford New York City, producing feelings of overwhelm. College students express curiosity about Roth IRAs, insurance deductibles, and investing before they have significant earnings or financial losses. Students seek practical understanding of taxes, insurance, credit, investing, health care, and urban living costs.
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