Being away from Yale’s campus during this pandemic has given me time to reflect on the financial obstacle of the SIC on me, my family, and other students. Students from marginalized backgrounds and lower incomes are already put at a disadvantage in all aspects of society, and the SIC is an extra burden that furthers this disparity. While some students during the summer can seek out opportunities that are unpaid, my choices are limited because of this imposed expense. The money I earn goes back to a nearly $30 billion institution, instead of towards my future or for personal necessities. With the ongoing crisis that affects just about everybody, not only is it difficult to find a job in a recession, but working an in-person job will increase my exposure to this highly contagious virus. Yale should take their students’ well being as its first priority and alleviate the financial burden caused by the SIC.

Saenah Boch, she/her, 2022, Berkeley