North Texas Daily

With the $1,200 coronavirus stimulus checks now being sent out, there remains a group of specific individuals who most likely will not be receiving aid during these very difficult times. College-aged students ranging from ages 18-25 are being left in the dust as they are likely not going to be getting these stimulus checks. This however does not apply to all of these individuals in this age range because if you filed your taxes as an independent you will be receiving the stimulus check. However, if you were claimed as a dependent you do not qualify for the $1,200 stimulus check.

While these circumstances can vary quite heavily between each specific individual, likely if you are a college student you were claimed as a dependent by your legal guardians so therefore, your qualification for this aid is dashed. There are a number of different circumstances surrounding this very odd turn of events, but there are likely many college students who will not be getting this check. While there is a possibility these guardians can send some of this money to their dependents, this is not a guarantee as they might need all of it due to being unemployed or any other possible extraneous, scary situation which may prevent the sharing or sending of money to the dependent.

One of the more unfortunate circumstances going along with all of this as well is if you are under the age of 16, there is an additional $500 given for each dependent claimed, however most of these dependents are in college so they are either right at the cut-off age or have exceeded it already so there is no additional aid to be sent out which in turn could have been sent by the guardian to help these dependents. Or, like stated above, guardians facing unemployment or other extraneous circumstances may very well need the extra $500, but if one of their dependents is over the age of 16, they will not be getting it in the first place at all. This is all a very unfortunate roundabout of melancholy. Either there is no inherent qualification for the extra $500 due to age or there is no leeway for these dependents to be sent some of the stimulus check because their guardians may need it.

While this viewpoint of college-aged individuals being shafted of this stimulus aid may sound privileged in the wide hemisphere of everything else going on, we are still expected to pay rent, our bills and anything else requiring monetary means and this still does not include students who might need to pay medical bills relating to COVID-19. In addition to these stipulations, some of us are still classified as essential employees and all of us are still dealing with a full course-load and coursework. We are still out here and we still do need help amidst the mania.

Yet, we are not the only ones who need help. We are not the only ones who are stuck in the middle of this pandemic and we are not the only ones suffering mentally and possibly physically either. These words are in no way meaning to undermine the other individuals who are struggling during this time. But, there is still an underlying sense of us being forgotten during the time when we arguably need help the most.

Featured Illustration: Jae-Eun Suh