<\/p>\n
Roniel Milian, a data entry specialist for a medical insurance company, stepped away from college five years ago to help support his family.<\/p>\n
FIU Caplin News<\/p>\n
As South Florida continues to rank as one of the most expensive areas to live in nationwide, younger generations sometimes feel forced to prioritize income over education.<\/p>\n
In South Florida, where the rent for apartments can exceed $2,000 a month, some students face the weight of delaying graduation as they struggle to balance school, work and family responsibilities.<\/p>\n
Roniel Milian, a data entry specialist for a medical insurance company, is in his mid-twenties in pursuit of a bachelor\u2019s in economics. He left school five years ago after his mother, the primary breadwinner of his household, underwent multiple surgeries and was unable to work for months. With no steady income at home, he stepped away from college to help support his family.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had to drop out of school completely. I haven\u2019t been able to go back since that day, five years ago,\u201d Milian said, describing the strain as \u201cliving to just survive, not to actually live.\u201d<\/p>\n
For others, the struggle isn\u2019t leaving school \u2014 it\u2019s realizing that staying in college doesn\u2019t guarantee financial security and that the promise many students were raised on no longer matches today\u2019s reality.<\/p>\n
Gianni Moody, a sales worker in Miami\u2019s Design District, has remained enrolled in school for his bachelor\u2019s in design but reduced his course load to prioritize paying bills.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy whole life, I\u2019ve been told by people that are older than me that school and staying in college is the way to be in order to get a high-paying job,\u201d he said. \u201cCurrently, a lot of the people that have degrees are still applying to retail-sector jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Working long hours to afford rent and daily expenses has meant taking fewer classes each semester.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve definitely had to prioritize my job because that\u2019s where my income comes from and that\u2019s what pays my bills,\u201d Moody said, adding that taking fewer classes has meant \u201cdelaying my education inevitably.\u201d<\/p>\n
Both men say rising housing costs and financial pressures have slowed their path to a degree. But, despite years of delay, Milian and Moody say they remain determined to complete their college education and secure stable, fulfilling careers.<\/p>\n