My favourite news bite of the week came in the form of a story about an English student and his journey from Newcastle to London. It cost him a modest £27 and also allowed him half a day in the sun in Menorca. Now you may argue that Newcastle to London via Menorca is not the most logical of routes, however when you take into account, that him being a student, he's most likely cash-strapped and by choosing this route he saved £40, then perhaps it is. Such is the state of our national rail network that it's cheaper to fly out then back into the country than it is to take a train practically due south, but we'll save that rant for another day, I want to focus on the creativity and frugalness behind this story.
This student was not the first person to travel between two places in the U.K. in such a way, it's been done before, and all the times I can remember it being done, it's been done by a student. My generation receives a lot of flak for being careless with our money, that we don't work hard enough to earn it and then we spend it on all the wrong things. The truth is, I think we are the most innovative and creative generation there's been. People forget that they didn't leave university with 40 odd thousand pounds worth of debt, we do, we start our working careers on the back foot. Therefore we need to find ways to earn or save money as early as possible.
These students finding creative cheaper ways to travel, are an example of those being smart with the little money they have. Universities are also full of budding entrepreneurs, looking to start their career, or just make enough money to get them through Uni. At Bristol University, a group of students have set up their own takeaway restaurant from their campus accommodation, selling and delivering chicken and rice to other students on the cheap.
This is classic entrepreneurship, identifying the demands of the area, and supplying the product in demand. So I believe the stereotyping of my generation to be incorrect yeah totally unsurprising, as the younger generation have routinely been looked down on for decades for one reason or another. In the 60s it was the hippies, in the 90s it was the ravers, the younger generation has perennially looked down upon.
So the message this week, embrace the youth, for we are merely adapting to our ever changing world just as everyone who preceded us has done. Have a lovely week! Dan C