Money. It’s what everyone yearns for and so desperately craves. As children, we made lemonade stands because the possession of a single coin easily made us feel rich and powerful. And as we grew up, payday was undoubtedly the best day of our summer jobs. You left work with a check in your hands and a smile on your face. But now, as a college student, money and the future are never far from the mind. And as we sing along to the old-time classic “Sweetest Girl”, we realize that Wyclef Jean was indeed correct; collegiettes really do have their “minds on the money, money on the mind.” But why? Why is money deemed the be-all and end-all of life? Is the timeless question true…can money actually buy us happiness?
A recent article published in the Wall Street Journal suggests that wealth alone does not garner happiness; it’s how you spend your money that really matters. More specifically, we are likely to be happier if we spend our money on others rather than ourselves. But when we do splurge and throw down some bills, people are happier when they use their money on experiences rather than material items.
So rather than buying Bean Boots, a Patagonia, or Frye boots, spend your money on an experience. Go to the movies with some friends. Go hiking. Explore. Be adventurous, for it’s moments like these that you’ll remember. People often hesitate to buy a concert ticket or go to a nice dinner because these experiences are fleeting. Consequently, people resort to material goods because they last longer. But do they? Yeah, Ray Bans will physically last longer, but the memories of a vacation are forever. And it’s the physicality and tangible thrill of purchasing the newest iPhone or a cute sweater from Forever 21 that traps us.
We want instant gratification, and therefore, find ourselves spending our money on expensive technology and lavish clothing. But because our experiences actually provide lasting value and greater happiness, the unreal is seemingly more powerful than the real. We outgrow our clothing (#Freshman 15), we break our cell phones, but something as fragile as a memory goes on and on. It lives forever. Money is, therefore, not the root of evil. The love of money is the root of evil. It’s where you put your heart.