How has affording to be a Dalhousie student changed in the last 30 years?

These interviews have been edited for clarity, grammar and length. 

Terry Chisholm graduated from Dalhousie University in 1991 with a degree in microbiology and biochemistry. She didn’t feel the need to work while studying. She’s a physician and psychiatrist at the QEII and works as an associate professor at Dalhousie.

What was it like for you to afford being a Dalhousie student in 1991?

I rented with four people in a two-bedroom apartment. Rent was probably less than $1,000 a month. So we were paying less than $250.

At that time, tuition was less than $1,000 per year.

Then you’d get a student loan, and I got a bursary as well, and with that, you were making ends meet.

What did your average basket of groceries cost?

We would all go together to get food, everybody shared. At that time, I do remember Kraft Dinner was 25 cents. You were probably spending $25 a week.

Anyway, it didn’t seem that crazy.

What did it cost to go out for a night?

A 6-pack was something like five dollars. At a bar, [a pint] might be a dollar. We would go to Lower Deck, and people would go to Midtown and you could get a steak for a dollar. It wasn’t the best steak, but it was — by definition — a steak. 

Arielle Goldschläger graduated from Dalhousie in 2012 with a combined honours in international development studies and Spanish. After Dalhousie, she went on to do her master’s in global studies in Sweden. She lived in Halifax’s north end as an undergrad. 

What was it like for you to afford being a Dalhousie student in 2012?

I think it might be quite different now. I had some privileges and opportunities. I did have some grants and some funding, which I think made a big difference.

That took off some of the stress of being able to afford university, but I also worked all through my studies.

Was it hard to balance work and school?

It was a lot for sure, but I worked mostly on the weekends. I was also doing some summer classes, which made my following year a little bit lighter and gave me a bit more mobility.

What did it cost to go out for a night?

We would go out for drinks, but it was really a lot more about house parties and having drinks at home just because that was going to be a cheaper option than going out all the time. 

An average night out would have been going to a concert or something, which probably was between like five and 10 bucks entry at most. 

Cam Pelda is currently in his second year of studying philosophy and English at Dalhousie. He says his biggest expenses are tuition and rent, and he curbs expenses by working at the Risley Hall front desk.

What does it look like for you to afford being a Dalhousie student?

I’m paying about $6,000 a semester for tuition. I chose to live alone, so my rent is pretty expensive. I’m paying $1,450 a month right now.

I have to work the entire summer non-stop to be able to afford my rent, and then my parents help me out with tuition, which I’m very thankful for.

For groceries, I do a big shop every two weeks that will cost me $200 to $300 depending on what I need, then I fill in the gaps throughout the week, which costs about $50.

What does it cost you to go out?

Last night, I got a double gin and tonic, and I think it cost me like 15 bucks, which is insane.

I’m not going out for the sake of drinking, so I feel like that makes it easier, but I have friends that will go out and spend over $100 in a night depending on where we go and what we’re doing.

One of my friends maxed out his dad’s credit card last night, which is ridiculous.