Do you remember when the idea of a college or graduate student was someone occupying a small room in a house, eating pasta and ramen, and commuting to school on an old beater bike? What happened to that idea - because seriously many of the students around me seem very ‘bling’ed out: triathlon bikes, BMWs, fancy restaurants, etc. I know that some students work, but given the increasing cost of gas, food, and tuition it doesn’t seem like there would be a lot left over for such fancy toys. As a student myself, it just bewilders me. While I realize I might be able to afford fancier items it would come at the cost of giving, saving, and debt (student loan) reduction. Personally, I’d rather have those and the self-discipline that comes with them, than a few shiny depreciating assets at this stage of my life. My philosophy is that this is probably the time (or one of the times) I will be making the least amount of money in my adult life; if I can be responsible now, I will have a lot more fun in the future when I do make more money and I don’t have to spend it paying off old debt. While I certainly don’t advocate eating lots of enriched starches or living with questionable strangers if you can afford not to (and it’s not your preference), I think that there’s a rather thick line between a beat-up Huffy and a new Cervelo.