I wonder if it is an age thing? When I was at university, I was working fulltime but paying off my education - yet, times were pretty good. But, the level of responsibility in the world was different for me too - so I could forego food in favor of alcohol and a night out, and no one would care. It was similar when I came here and my friends were students -even though I was earning under poverty level, I was still able to join them, because they were too :)