The society in which we live in today is one focused on always having the best, newest and most efficient contraptions.

With the desire to always have what you want at your fingertips, a sense of entitlement and neediness has surfaced. It seems as though everyone is always wanting the next best thing rather than stopping to smell the roses and realizing what is more important to the big picture that is our college education.

Growing up, most of us had the gray Nintendo GameBoy—that is until the GameBoy Color and other similar models premiered on the market. All it took was to see one of our friends with the bright lime green device in hand, and the desire for something new was born. Nothing was wrong or broken with the older models, but the GameBoy Color, for example, was what everyone else had.

It was crucial that the newest gaming system was on our Christmas lists and that it was found under the Christmas tree, courtesy of Santa Claus.

But did we want said gaming device for the newest updates and flashy features? Or, did we just want said gaming device so we could have bragging rights upon returning to school the following January?

This “keeping up with the Jones’ ” mentality is one that is very evident in our world, specifically on Nicholls’ campus. It seems as though everyone’s Facebook newsfeeds were flooding Tuesday with thoughts of the newest version of the iPhone, the 4s, and with statuses of eagerness to attain one of these new bad boys.

Is the iPhone 4 simply not up to par? Let’s face it, if you are experiencing technical difficulties with every model you get your hands on, maybe it is not the phone for you.

With students complaining about not being able to afford basic necessities, textbooks and other things, how are students able to buy a $199 phone that can be broken as soon as it hits the tile floor?

Many express their distaste for the possibility of raising tuition or the rocket-high prices of University housing but do little to conserve their own funds and cut back on the unnecessary splurging.

The question we must all ask ourselves is this: Do we really need what we are about to purchase? Or, do we simply want what everyone else has?

As college students, we must realize that we are all adults. In a few short years, there will be others in our places here at Nicholls, and we will be the ones in the work force, putting our good ole’ Nicholls education to use. Our expenses will not just be the monthly car insurance note, apartment rent and food anymore; they will extend to our children’s uniforms, house notes and doctor bills.

If we do not take charge of our lives and spending habits now, when will we?