Some people might think this is strange but I never use to think about money, especially in college. I am really not sure why, but when I needed it, it was always there. Not that I had A LOT, but I always had just enough to get by all the time, at the time. Money came from a couple of different sources: some from parents, some from loans, some from my work/study job.

And another weird thing is: when I was in college, I didn't even think about what kind of job I wanted after graduation or how much this job would pay me until I was a SENIOR! I just never thought about it. Looking back, I think this was completely idiotic, but at the time, that was me: going to my classes (some days), praying I would pass, just wanted to get my degree- any degree- and get the hell out of there.

I remember once in my sophomore year, after one of our classes, a girlfriend asked me what I wanted to do after college. At that time, I REALLY didn't have any clue and I told her so. Then she asked, "So you just want to marry rich?" I had never thought about it, had never been asked that question and I remember being taken aback. I answered, "If it happens." I mean, come on, who is going to say, "No, I would rather marry a poor man and struggle all my life." Like my answer stated, if it happened, it happened, if it didn't, it didn't. I'm sure in the deep, deep subconscious level of my mind, I might of thought that if I did fall in love with a rich man, it wouldn't hurt, but I never thought THOUGHT about it, like it was some GOAL of mine or anything.

Later that same year, a group of us were hanging out over dinner and someone asked me what I wanted to do after college. Again, I answered that I didn't know yet, that I was still sorting it out. Then the friend that I had had the previous conversation with said matter of factly, "Cristina just wants to marry rich." I replied, "I never said that." Even with my reply, I felt the damage had been done. I felt the others would now just see me as a gold digging knuckle head, in college to find a man who would "save me." I remember being so incredibly hurt and confused. When did I say that to her? She is the one that asked me (!) and I answered that if it happened, it wouldn't be worse than better.

If there is someone who would be willing to WASTE their ONE life to be someone because of their money and not because they love the other person whole-heartedly, I pity them and their soul.