A DEEPER LOOK INTO THE CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF THE RAPID INFLATION THAT IS WEIGHING DOWN ON BEARCATS AND THE NATION ALIKE

The green note slid its way across the counter… then another… then another. The dollar felt like it weighed more last year, right? Gas prices are the highest they’ve been in our history, inflation is rapidly rising, energy prices are spiking, and there’s no sign of the load lightening any time soon. Between the raging war in the east, the decline of COVID-19, and the lack of access to oil, it’s really no surprise that the economy is taking a hit, but students, administration, and teacher Bearcats are especially feeling the weight on their shoulders as prices swell. According to a survey taken on Mar. 23 of 

126 students, 49.2% of Bearcats reported that the rising prices are affecting their daily life either 4 or 5 on a 1 – 5 scale, and only 10.3% reported the inflation having the least impact with a score of 1.

The financial burden is weighing heavily on the local businesses in Paso, many of which student’s and their families run.  Students are being forced to balance their academic and sport life while also working for their family to keep their restaurants, diners, and catering businesses afloat.

Teachers are also being hit full force by the economic crisis, having to balance their already low salaries with more expenses dedicated to their commute to work, feeding themselves and their families, and maintaining the pricey cost of living here on the central coast.

Nonetheless, Bearcats and millions across the nation are feeling the hardships pulling down on them, due to the escalating prices in every category. With no end in sight to the swell, people must find the balance in their work and daily lives in order to counter the increase of the cost to live.