Finding $20 in a birthday card and getting just-for-emergency credit cards from the parents are becoming luxuries of the past for recession riddled students, so they're finding other paths to fulfillment that don't involve money.

While these are no longer common privileges for students during the economic recession, and students are branching out, finding other ways to make themselves happy, even when money is tight.

As advised in an article "10 Secrets to Finding Happiness During the Recession," students are nurturing meaningful relationships, spending money on experiences rather than on items, and staying positive -- anything that's cheap.

"My family, we don't spend money on cars or TVs and things. Every few years we'll save money and take a trip somewhere," freshman Justin Boese said. "Last summer we took a trip to Greece. Being out gets my mind off the depressing side of things."

The article suggests spending $20 on an experience rather than an item, pursuing meaningful life goals, nurturing meaningful relationships, counting your blessings and getting out to sweat. Many students at SF State are doing just that.

"There are people that are doing worse off than how I'm doing right now," freshman Nicole Hicks said. "I stay optimistic and look at the bright side."

Hicks and friend Joy Hubbard sat at the Muni stop, waiting to go inbound and explore the city for the first time.

"I play ball. It takes my mind off things," Hubbard said. "It's free to play ball. Your mind is not really focused on money."

An article on www.economyincrisis.org states, "it is widely believed that suicide rates naturally rise with unemployment and increase in even greater frequency during times of recession."

The article goes on to say that during the Depression, suicides rose from 14 per every 100,000 people in 1929 to 17 per every 100,000 in 1933. Over that same period, the unemployment rate increased from 3.2 percent to 24.9 percent.

With the new California budget, fewer students are eligible for school loans, more layoffs are leaving students unemployed, and the rise in tuition is leaving people wondering how they will afford to stay in school.

"I've been backpacking recently because it's free," senior Michael Mahaffie said. "I sold my truck and got a Vespa because I can't afford gas, but I get a lot of compliments so it's a win-win."

Mahaffie signed up to become a resident assistant on campus this fall. After living in the city for a year, he realized that money was getting low and that he could no longer afford to live off-campus.

"When I interviewed [to be an RA] I said 'I need a job to pay for my housing,'" Mahaffie said as he chuckled.

While some friendships may be lost because of unpaid money loans, some have brought friends closer together.

"My friend just moved to Santa Monica and I loaned him $50 to help pay rent. He said he would never forget it," freshman Kyle Kulinski said. "We are definitely a lot closer now."

Parents show great concern as well, having to pay more tuition for their kids to continue
their education -- a backlash from the recent CSU budget cuts.

The biggest challenge was for parents Duke and Charlotte Thompson was helping their daughter find classes. And now, "Because of the recession, we spend more time as a family -- more talking, less going out. We don't take the big vacations anymore, we stay local."

Although there are ways to still find happiness during the recession, students still face hardships during a time when nothing seems affordable and noodles have become a frequent dinner.

"I really wanted to go to the Outside Lands Festival, but tickets were too expensive so I'm
using money to buy books for school instead," junior Cecily May said. "I have to be happy that I at least have an education."

Some students didn't seem to be affected at all.

"I don't know if much has changed for me because I don't spend much money usually. When I get together with friends, we just hang out," Boese said. "It's important to have a few close, intimate friends to hang out with."

During the recession, students are changing their living situations to accommodate their paychecks, if any. They are taking up new hobbies like backpacking, and forming closer friendships in a time of struggle.

"10 Secrets to Finding Happiness During the Recession" was written by Deborah Kotz and published April 22 in U.S. World News and Report.