Poverty Simulation

Poverty, while it is one of the most pressing issues of today’s world, it often slips our minds when we are not directly confronted with it. Especially those of us that are fortunate enough to be able to afford a college education, we are all caught up in our own lives. We do not stop often as we should to think about what we would do if we were forced to make decisions on a daily basis, based on the constraints of our resources. During the poverty simulation, I was put into situations that forced me to make decisions based on the limited amount of resources that I was given. The more difficult decisions for me were about healthcare, whether I should address an problem that was bothering me, or just ignore it and hope that it doesn’t grow worse. Another form of difficult decision that I faced was regarding my children. It was difficult not to feel guilty for saying no to purchasing excess things that my child asked for to feel normal. For example, birthday gifts for other children, or not wanting to be on “free lunch” at school. My situation ended on the last day when I ran out of money because my landlord raised my rent. There are so many unexpected events that have an impact on one’s expenses, which caused me to feel frustrated and stressed throughout this simulation. I felt the pressure to save my resources so that I could make them last till the end of the month. The simulation tempted me with resorting to smoking to combat stress, this made me realize how easy it is to succumb to the effects of difficult situations, and how people can see smoking as their only option. I also was forced to make difficult decisions about which bills to pay, this forced me to think about the risks that I may be facing and weigh which risks I could afford to take on. This decision making process forced me to think deeply about my own life, and how fortunate I am to not have to make decisions like these ones on a daily basis. This simulation also made me fearful for the future, and all of the responsibility I will be taking on as an adult who is responsible for their own expenses.

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