College students are often stereotyped as having little money, and while that doesn’t apply to all of us, the characterization does fit for many. Students can often be seen hoarding 30-packs of ramen at County Market, and that’s no coincidence.

But every once in awhile, college students do go out to eat at restaurants, or even just stop into Merry Ann’s to get a milkshake and indulge a late-night craving.

Sometimes this extra splurge results in students being extra cheap with the tip they give to those who waited on them. This cheapness directly affects the paycheck of the individuals who work at the establishment. Those who do not tip are making it difficult for the workers to earn minimum wage.

Oftentimes, especially on our campus, these workers are college students working to be able to pay for their schooling or living situations. College students who get into a habit of not tipping might also never be able to break that habit, and will not tip even as they are earning more than enough money to tip. If you do not have enough money to cover both the bill and the tip, then you should not be going out to eat at all.

I’ve engaged in several conversations with friends who claim to “not believe in tipping.” This ideology is pretty mind-boggling given the fact that it is not something that someone can “believe in” or not because, in America at least, it is how waiters earn most of their paycheck.

These individuals who don’t tip come off as rude and cheap. They could be out to lunch on a job interview someday, and when it came time to tip, if they did not it would be a reflection of their character and they may not receive the job for which they were applying. There are many people who choose not to tip, claiming that waiters are already paid and do not need their tips — and that they are only being friendly to customers to gain a better tip.

In reality, tipping is really not an option in America. Most waiters and waitresses only earn $2.13 an hour. This is clearly well-below minimum wage because they are supposed to make up for the difference with tips. However, if more people get in the mindset that not tipping is acceptable, that means the waiters and waitresses are going home with less than minimum wage in their pockets. Not to mention all the money that gets taken out in taxes.

Service professionals are also supposed to split their tips with other waiters, bussers, hosts and bartenders. http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/feb/01/fired-applebees-waitress-needs-tips Waiting tables is no easy job; waiters often work long shifts, without bathroom breaks. They are also expected to be gracious and friendly to customers, even if the customers are rude or harassing them. Sometimes they don’t even go home with enough money to pay the bills.

Even though a service tip is not necessarily required of patrons, it should be, as service professionals are not going to be earning minimum wage without it. No one should be “that guy” who does not tip when they go out to eat. Being generous is something that we can control, and if we choose not to be, then it says something about this generation. An average tip should be 15-25 percent of the bill. This assures that the staff will be compensated for their hard work and lacking paycheck. http://www.bbcamerica.com/shows//blog/2012/08/tipping-in-america-how-to-do-it-and-what-to-expect-if-you-dont.

A lot of college students work at restaurants on campus. They are working and keeping up with the pressure of college classes at the same time, and therefore deserve respect. Everyone is short on cash in these tumultuous years of life; however, to not leave a tip, especially for a fellow college student, could have a very negative effect on his or her life.

So college students, while broke themselves, should take a pledge to practice being generous now, in the age where forming responsible habits is crucial.

Courtney is a sophomore in LAS.?

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