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My mom always had her views on what money is and how it should be seen. During grade 12, she always told me "don't chase after money. You'll get what you work for, no more, no less."

What? But what about the dream jobs that require you to work very little and give you a lot of money in return? I later realized that those jobs did not exist. One can make serious money as an accountant, but of course that will come at the cost of working crazy hours a week. One can also make serious money as an entrepreneur, at the cost of mind-racking stress levels that your idea won't take off and countless hours working away on something that won't necessarily result in money coming your way. The same applies for a lot of careers, actually.

The second bit of philosophy I remember my mom telling me is that once I get a job, I should be content with earning enough money to live comfortably. There are always (always) problems that come with having massive amounts of money, and supposedly it will twist your priorities away from what they should be on. And the reason why people with a lot of money have financial problems in the first place is that they spend it on the dumbest shit. Be a smart spender and I will not have those problems, she says.

Obviously, I won't really know what to think of money until I grow older and actually start my career, and I can't be sure if this is even relevant this day and age when a homes in Vancouver cost over a million bucks, rent prices are also sky high, and video games still cost $67 tax included (I mean, come on!), but I'm willing to take my mom's word on a lot of this stuff.

One of my ways of thinking is that a lot of the things you do in life should reduce stress in your life. Worried you won't be able to do that? Get a decent degree. Worried about your GPA? Go friggin study some more (and study smarter). Worried about whether or not that girl (or guy) likes you? Go ask the bitch out. All of these reduce your worry levels. But if doing something causes more stress in your life, and doesn't seem to reduce stress a whole lot on the long run either, it's doesn't really make sense to do it. Taking up a job with a higher salary to jump on a plane every day, jumping from city to city? Working in an office with miserable co-workers? Late-night hours at work? No thanks.