Tuition is extremely expensive, and most students at the University do not receive any scholarships, forcing them to seek other forms of support. Many students receive financial help from their parents, who have likely supported them for years leading up to their college career. Others are left to fend for themselves by taking out loans or working while taking classes.

The Daily Illini Editorial Board wants to take a moment to recognize all the hardworking parents and guardians who help put their children through school. We also want to recognize students who still attend school by working jobs to pay tuition, sometimes even spending much of their lives post-graduation paying off loans.

In addition, students shouldn’t take their education for granted. At the University, it costs around $30 per class for a class that is offered three times a week. Students should remember that we are here to further our education, first and foremost. Keep in mind each individual class actually costs a significant amount of money, so the mornings you decide to skip a class to sleep in or come late to a class “just for fun” are benefiting no one. Each time you make this decision, you waste tens, if not hundreds, of dollars of your parents’ (or your own) money.

Each class is supposed to offer an enriching experience that provides students with a new skillset or information to aid them later in life. Professors can sometimes take years to curate the perfect curriculum meant to enhance career pursuits. Even classes that don’t seem like they offer any insightful information can be valuable if you put the time in.

If you’re paying for classes or if your parents are paying for classes, you shouldn’t just be working to get an “A” and move on; instead, try to absorb the knowledge you’re presented with.  Even if you plan on pursuing graduate school or other further higher education, your undergraduate career is likely the only time in your life you’ll have the opportunity to receive a well-rounded education with thousands of topics to learn at your fingertips.  Also consider that at the University, we don’t pay per credit hour — unless you choose to overload, you may take 18 credit hours of whatever classes you so choose without having to worry about paying for each individual credit.

Remember to not take your education for granted, as not many people have the privilege of being able to come to school to receive a degree — especially at such an esteemed University as ours.