As the government begins to roll out the second batch of stimulus checks to millions of Americans in need, students at CWU are feeling unsupported.

Dillion Clare, a junior majoring in film studies, did not receive a check the first time, and was disappointed that the trend would continue.

“It was quite annoying and bothersome because, at the time [of the first check], I was concerned with how I was going to pay my bills,” Clare said. “There is a lot of confusion, and at first, I thought I was going to get some extra support.”

Clare will not receive a check because his parents claimed him as a dependent. He said he could have used the money for essentials.

“I would have paid whatever bills that I needed to with that money,” Clare said. “I ended up getting on unemployment, and I have been trying to save that up.”

Alisa Longanecker, a junior studying psychology, started receiving unemployment in May.

“I knew I wasn’t getting a stimulus check, and after I lost my job, I was not sure what to do,” Longanecker said. “I ended up finally learning how to sign up for unemployment, and because of [COVID-19], there was extra money available.”

Longanecker was grateful for the support but was frustrated with the problems she had with the system.

“Unemployment helped, but for me personally, it was weird because I did not get money every week, and there was a bunch of problems with the system,” Longanecker said. “It just was so unreliable, and I struggled to understand the information given to me.”

Although Longanecker is grateful for unemployment, she said she is still frustrated with how the stimulus checks are being distributed.

“A majority of college students are not getting these checks because of their parents claiming them as dependents, and I feel the government is altogether skipping over us,” Longanecker said. “We are in need of financial help just as much as any other Americans.”

Film studies major Malik Berry, a junior, said he wishes he was getting a check to help him be more financially stable.

“I have been saving money since my first job in 2015 to get a place of my own,” Berry said. “That’s just my big priority right now other than graduating from college.”

Even though Berry is not getting a check, he is determined to remain positive and be an example for others.
“I just got to keep my head up, and I have to continue moving forward into the future,” Berry said. “Though this is a really awful situation for all of us, I just have to continue moving forward and try to find positivity in this dark moment that we are all in right now.”