All of us are broke college students right now, but some of us are getting hit way harder and no, it’s not midterms or relationship drama. It’s these gas prices! Somehow, gas is pushing $4 a gallon like that’s normal. And the worst part? It’s not even something we can control. Tension in the Middle East, especially around major oil routes like the Strait of Hormuz, sends prices skyrocketing overnight…every night. So while world leaders debate and stall, we’re the ones swiping our cards and praying it doesn’t decline.
And it doesn’t stop at the pump. When oil prices rise, everything else follows, food, supplies, basic necessities. So now we’re not just broke, we’re getting squeezed from every direction. Gas alone is up almost a dollar a gallon, and filling up a tank now costs anywhere from $40 to $70. FORTY DOLLARS?! Yes, forty dollars just to get to class, to work, to anywhere. That’s not just inconvenient, that’s ridiculous.
As an out-of-state student, I don’t even have the option to ignore it. I drive home every weekend, and my little Rogue drains about $50 three times a week. That’s not “cut back on fast food ” money,that’s real unavoidable expense. And if I’m struggling, I know people with bigger, less fuel-efficient cars are hurting even more. At this rate, we’re not just stressed, we’re completely cooked if prices keep climbing. There’s no way students are expected to keep up with $5 gas because people in suits across the world can’t figure it out.
At the end of the day, gas prices aren’t just numbers on a sign, they’re a constant reminder that even basic freedom comes with a price tag we can barely afford. That “quick trip” now feels like a financial decision. That sense of independence we’re supposed to have in college? It’s getting priced out. We’re not asking for anything crazy, just the ability to live, move, and breathe without calculating every mile. Let us be young, let us be free, and for once, let a full tank of gas not feel like a luxury we have to think twice about.
