Joanna Creal
Staff Writer
The soaring price of gas is adding to the financial stress facing many Jackson State University students and others around the world as the United States Energy Information Administration (EIA) projects gas prices to exceed $4 by the summer of 2011.
The EIA blames the unrest in the Middle East, which has the most oil reserves, for the increase in the cost of a barrel of oil from $88 to $102 a barrel.
Although Mississippi is one of the states with the lowest gas prices, students say that their pockets are still being hit hard by the higher gas prices.
Students agree that the high gas prices are keeping them closer to home and school.
“I drive a Yukon truck so it guzzles gas up quick. Lately I have just been staying around campus unless I just absolutely have to go somewhere. I have even started charging people gas money,” said Brett Smith II, a senior industrial technology major from Monroe, La.
Eric Jones, a senior accounting major said that the high gas prices have not affected him yet.
“My Honda has not really caused me to change my driving habits yet. But I am sure if gas keeps rising, I am only going to school, work, and back to the house,” said the Lena, Miss. native.
One student attributed the high cost of fuel with her decisions to not purchase a vehicle.
“Gas is the reason I do not have a car now. My income is not enough to keep up with the steady increase, but when I do need to go somewhere, I try to give them a little money towards gas,” said Tiffany Penn, a senior political science major from Detroit, Mich.
Omar Johnson, a senior business major form Los Angeles, Calif. Said, “The way my friends and i save gas is by riding with each other often and splitting the gas four ways instead of us all driving our cars. That helps a lot.”
To check for the lowest gas prices nearest the university visit fuelmeup.com, a website that monitors gas prices all over the United States.
