--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was pretty poor for a long time. Not…" description: "\"I was pretty poor for a long time. Not *poor* poor. But college student poor. I lived for most of my adult life living on student wages, then after I g..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60f/patrick-rothfuss-145_adult-life_i-was-pretty-poor-for-a-long-time-not-po_51062.jpg" --- # I was pretty poor for a long time. Not \*poor\* poor. But… ![“I was pretty poor for a long time. Not *poor* poor. But college student poor. I lived for most of my adult life living on student wages, then after I got my MA and started teaching, I lived on teacher's wages, which isn't much better.” quote by Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60f/patrick-rothfuss-145_adult-life_i-was-pretty-poor-for-a-long-time-not-po_51062.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60f/patrick-rothfuss-145_adult-life_i-was-pretty-poor-for-a-long-time-not-po_51062.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60f/patrick-rothfuss-145_adult-life_i-was-pretty-poor-for-a-long-time-not-po_51062.jpg) > “I was pretty poor for a long time. Not \*poor\* poor. But college student poor. I lived for most of my adult life living on student wages, then after I got my MA and started teaching, I lived on teacher's wages, which isn't much better.” [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker describes prolonged financial hardship, distinguishing between modest student wages and slightly higher but still limited teacher salaries, highlighting systemic low pay in education. **In simple terms:** Low wages persist despite higher qualifications. Key Takeaway Education careers often underpay despite training. Themes economic inequality career earnings education sector social mobility financial resilience Mood reflective somber determined Type personal narrative social commentary When to use this quote - recent graduate entering workforce - teacher negotiating salary - individual budgeting on limited income - policy discussion on educator pay Key Concepts student wages teacher salaries cost of living career progression Practical Applications - advocacy for higher teacher wages - financial planning resources for low‑income professionals Questions to Reflect On - How does low compensation affect teacher retention? - What policies could improve earnings for educators? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adult life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adult-life/) [Adults](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [College student](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college-student/) [College students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college-students/) [Life living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-living/) [Living on](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-on/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor/) [Poor Lived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-lived-550293/) [Poor Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-poor/) [Student Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/student-poor-726998/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Teacher Wages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher-wages-726999/) [Teaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teaching/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Wages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wages/) ## Related quotes > [It is good for a student to be poor. Getting and spending, the typical American college student lays waste his powers. Work and contemplation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-kirk/it-is-good-for-a-student-to-be-poor-getting-and-spending-the-typical/) [Russell Kirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-kirk/) > [Don't go around saying the world owes you a living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-go-around-saying-the-world-owes-you-a-living/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We didn't know we were poor because that's how everyone around us lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-adams/we-didn-t-know-we-were-poor-because-that-s-how-everyone-around-us/) [Eric Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-adams/) > [We were poor and lived modestly, but we always had food on the table.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwane-casey/we-were-poor-and-lived-modestly-but-we-always-had-food-on-the-table/) [Dwane Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwane-casey/) > [For a good part of my childhood, we were super poor and lived in government housing. I don't characterize the American dream as being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hong-chau/for-a-good-part-of-my-childhood-we-were-super-poor-and-lived-in/) [Hong Chau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hong-chau/) > [Many overlook the fact that Jesus was homeless. He did not only teach the poor; He lived among them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dillon-burroughs/many-overlook-the-fact-that-jesus-was-homeless-he-did-not-only-teach/) [Dillon Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dillon-burroughs/) > [I grew up in a very modest house. We were poor-we lived on the poverty level. We all got jobs as young kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chely-wright/i-grew-up-in-a-very-modest-house-we-were-poor-we-lived-on-the-poverty/) [Chely Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chely-wright/) > [I was born poor, I have lived poor, I wish to die poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-pius-x/i-was-born-poor-i-have-lived-poor-i-wish-to-die-poor/) [Pope Pius X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-pius-x/) > [It's really hard to be poor in New York - I was really poor when I lived in New York.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-radnor/it-s-really-hard-to-be-poor-in-new-york-i-was-really-poor-when-i/) [Josh Radnor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-radnor/) > [I grew up in Oregon. I have a younger brother and an older sister. We were very poor. VERY POOR. We lived in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-escola/i-grew-up-in-oregon-i-have-a-younger-brother-and-an-older-sister-we/) [Cole Escola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-escola/) > [When a family is poor, everyone is poor, and there is huge solidarity. People will take a bullet for you. But when one makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-adebayor/when-a-family-is-poor-everyone-is-poor-and-there-is-huge-solidarity/) [Emmanuel Adebayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-adebayor/) > [I don't want there to be this separation between the rich and poor. I may be part of the three percent because I've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlon-wayans/i-don-t-want-there-to-be-this-separation-between-the-rich-and-poor-i/) [Marlon Wayans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlon-wayans/) > [America's vast population of working poor can only get so poor before even Walmart is out of reach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/america-s-vast-population-of-working-poor-can-only-get-so-poor-before/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [God has no need of your money, but the poor have. You give it to the poor, and God receives it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/god-has-no-need-of-your-money-but-the-poor-have-you-give-it-to-the/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [“I'm called 'the poorest president', but I don't feel poor. 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