Yeah, been there. Was a stretch on and off for a few years. College was about the closest thing to poverty I can remember. Especially last yeaar or two. Luckily all the basic needs were taken care of (i.e. housing and eating).
But after college, when looking for a job, and still partying like a rockstar hit rock bottom. Was tough times. Living with sister, and no money, and all that jazz. Many valuable lessons learned which have helped me over the past better part of a decade. One of the biggest that comes to mind is being deprogrammed, and knowing needs versus wants.
If you always have money, and do what you want, when you want, you never really make that division between a want, and a need. Or atleast I never did, and a lot of others in my personal life can't. When you are scrapping by, you really come to realize this. Also taught me better money management, and keeping a savings for the 'what if' factor. Like if your car breaks down, having money for a cab, and such. Or just keeping a 'in case shit happens' account.
While I'd never ever want to go through it again, I can honestly say it gave me a lot of lifestyle changes, and a different outlook on my life. A lot of lessons were learned, and I still use them today. I guess that old saying holds water that, 'courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to overcome it'.
