As January comes to an end, I find myself still reaching for comfort soups overflowing with vegetables. Potatoes, carrots, yellow onions, garlic, green onions, cabbage, celery, unsalted beef broth, a tablespoon of butter, herbs, and spices have been my constant source of comfort this month. It’s hitting me that I’m living a life I once envisioned for myself—a home filled with comfort and homemade soups that provide warmth during cold winter months.
After the election, I found my mind wandering back to the Great Depression and how people ate during those times to survive and feed their families. I had my teen watch a clip of men standing in line at soup kitchens, letting him know that water was often used instead of broth—broth being a luxury at the time. But the vegetables were the same: potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions.
It’s no secret that 2025 has been a rough start for the world—the California fires, the election’s outcome, hate rising in parts of the world, and a personal loss.
I can’t help but wonder if this is an omen of what might come in the next couple of years—rough times that many people aren’t aware of yet. I’ve been making sure we simplify our diet, not just to save money but because, living in a first-world country, we’ve become accustomed to more than we need to survive. Now, we have days dedicated to food—Taco Tuesday, Wing Wednesday, or Pizza Friday—while our ancestors were just trying to survive on potatoes during hard times.
Over the last month, I’ve bought more potatoes than ever in a week’s time, and I’m still not tired of them. In fact, I feel my stomach getting flatter, and my energy is coming back slowly. My cravings are lessening as I reduce the variety of drinks at dinner, sticking to sweet tea and water. Soup keeps us full for supper before a later dinner.
During the summer quarter, I checked out a book on the Great Depression. There were stories of college students, children, men, women, and families who all suffered during that time. Men who had once been well-off bankers were now sleeping on curbs, getting into trouble with the law for being vagrants. Children pleaded in the streets to help their families. Women begged neighbors for help and worked when given the chance because welfare only covered about a week’s worth of needs.
Dandelions were often cooked in a pot of water when the potatoes and onions were all used up. Food was cooked and recooked to prevent it from spoiling. I suppose I knew rougher times might be ahead even before we learned the election outcome. That’s why I had already started reading up on how people survived during the Great Depression.
This isn’t to say we’re heading toward a Great Depression in the economic sense, but it’s a reminder that the light of this country burns brightest when protections are in place against fascism, racism, anti-vaxxers, oligarchies, and harmful ideas.
Joshua Kennon’s explanation hits it on the head:
“I mean, sure, there are some really challenging conditions. Right now we’re going through a ‘4th generation’ curse where the folks who lived through horrors like fascism, polio, protectionism, etc., have largely died off, so younger generations and the less educated are turning to something like heroin, unable to resist its siren call and no longer under the protection arising from the constant warnings of their elders. Some lessons are painful and must be relearned, unfortunately.”
There was a time when I wanted to buy a house in this country. Now, I’m not so sure of that goal—at least for the foreseeable future. I’m looking toward traveling abroad and venturing further out. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not shortsighted enough to think I should turn my back and never look back at this country again. But if anything, these last three months have taught me that it’s important to remember there’s a whole world out there to explore, and sometimes it’s best to wait before putting down roots.
Thinking about the hard times that might be ahead, I want to make sure that everything we’ve done financially over the years to stabilize our household is protected, so it continues to grow and generate wealth—making us richer each year, regardless of who is in office.
And with the loss of our dear friend, who made this world burn a bit brighter, I find myself struck with clarity about how I want to move forward in life.
Today, I woke up in an unexpected mood—dancing to songs I haven’t listened to in a while, energized enough to gather myself for a gym workout and a quick grocery run. I picked up green onions, applesauce, sweet tea, rice, and a small bag of Skittles for my teen.
Already, I find myself looking toward brighter days ahead—even if they aren’t in this country, this city, or this town I call home. I have two more years to finish my undergrad, and then who knows what’s next.
The Broke College Student 
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