Have an opinion? Contact us at opinions @theotherpress.ca @ Opinions Standing a-loan Interest troubles with student loans By Eric Wilkins, Staff Writer or those who don’t have benevolent benefactors backing them, post-secondary education can add up to quite a pretty penny. The prospect of taking on a soul-crushing loan isn’t a happy one, nor is the thought of attempting to maintain steady work on a full-time school schedule. Fortunately, the government and their student loan godsend have got your back on this one. Or do they? While it’s all rainbows and butterflies during your studies, 50 shades Gender roles and romance novels By Jennifer Markham, Contributor s most popular book series do, it felt as though it were overnight that everyone started talking about the 50 Shades series like they were three books that would change your life. For such a popular book though, I couldn’t figure out why I didn’t see anyone reading it—neither on transit nor in coffee shops. That is, until I picked it up myself. All of sudden, the hushed voices and sheepish smiles all made sense. The book graphically the aftermath of college/university can be a wholly different tale. Of course, it’s no real surprise that the government only truly takes an interest in you when it comes to paying them back. Apparently the knowledge that, because of their contribution, a young adult is now equipped with the tools to succeed in this world is not enough for our magnanimous loan shark. As soon as you’re out the door with that goofy grad cap perched atop your head, the so-called “grace period” begins. But this grace period isn’t quite as gracious as one would like it to be. While you don’t have to pay for six months, you do get of erotica describes a dominant and submissive relationship in steamy detail. I was home alone and I still closed the blinds, I was blushing so badly. I can’t even admit to reading it with a straight face, and only people who have read it can join the exclusive club of “Oh I know...” But more importantly than whether the books are good or bad, it’s essential to think critically about why these books became so popular. Despite all the progress we’ve made in equality since the 1960s, women are raised from a young age to suppress their sexuality. As teenagers, we navigate the fine line between sexy and slutty, and by to watch a pile of interest build up. The current structure of a student loan makes about as much sense as the origins of Scientology. But I digress. The point of student loans, or at least the supposed point of them, is to provide financial aid to students so that they can study, attain new skills, and then go forth and get a job related to their post-secondary education. However, in this increasingly difficult economy, the threat of getting buried under a heap of debt can be a terrifying reality. Many students don’t find employment immediately following graduation, and can fall into dead-end jobs the time we’re adults, we've figured out that being promiscuous is only socially acceptable if you’re a male. He who sleeps around is a player; meanwhile, if a girl overtly gets around the block, she’s a floozy. Same goes with watching porn: it’s socially accepted that the large majority of the male population knows how to delete a computer’s history. It’s just not as common to hear a woman openly admit to doing the same, and that’s why Harlequin romances and erotica make so much money. But does a graphic sex scene in a book stimulate our brain (and other places for that matter) any differently than a sex completely unrelated to their desired field. Tack on the cost of living (rent, food, clothing, etc) to the growing loan payment (a $27,000 degree can rack up $8,000 in interest), and it’s easy to see why so many become stuck in these minimum-wage positions. With no time to actively pursue a career in their chosen profession, they may find that degree on the wall becomes nothing more than a very expensive piece of paper. And if the thought of an underwhelming job isn’t bad enough, just getting that job isn’t a guarantee. In Canada, the jobless rate is sitting at 14.7 per cent for those between the ages of 15 and 24. While this scene in a pornographic film? Doubtful. But it’s our social norms that define what’s acceptable. Let’s face it: these books certainly aren’t extraordinary because of the unique storyline— bondage and discipline aside. The writing style itself isn’t at all unique either, and some of the words seem to be thrown number is a fraction of Greece’s (51.1 per cent), it is nonetheless a disturbingly high figure. So, am I blaming the interest on student loans for the demise of many once-promising careers? Not entirely, but it certainly is a contributing factor. And while there are many things we just have to live with in this world, low interest on a student loan shouldn’t be one of them. Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island already figured it out; it’s about time the rest of the country followed suit. into sentences in a jarring manner, as if someone picked up a thesaurus and picked out a couple words at random to seem more educated. Whether or not you’re going to read the books, or let your girlfriend read them, it’s important to constantly question prescribed gender roles, and who defines them.