Two paydays have come and gone with student workers having to pick up their paychecks at the Cashier’s Office in Old Main.

Changes were made in the beginning of the semester to initiate steps to get twice a month compensation for student workers. The idea was for students to either pick up paychecks in a central location or get direct deposit, thus saving the time and money it takes to deliver checks to each department.

Having a majority of student workers go to direct deposit is essential to get paid twice a month because it would cost too much to produce paychecks twice a month. So to get paid more often, 90 percent of student workers must enroll in direct deposit.

Roughly half of the student workers have gotten the idea so far, and I am one of them.

I have my check direct deposited, as I have for the past two and a half years as an Eastern student worker and the past summer during my internship.

People are outraged at the new procedures, mad they have to trek up to Old Main to pick up their paychecks, but they also do not want to enroll in direct deposit.

What is so bad about direct deposit? It makes sense – have your employer put your check in the bank for you, thus cutting out a few steps. It saves a trip to the bank, and money is available the morning of payday.

Some students do not want direct deposit because they think something will happen to their money in the deposit process. Perhaps some of their money may not make it into the bank. I can personally say that has never happened to me.

Some people like to split money between different bank accounts. That practice just sounds more inconvenient in itself.

Others think they have to set up a bank account in Charleston, but checks can be direct deposited anywhere.

Direct deposit is great. During school breaks or if I am away from campus, I still have access to my money without picking up my check and then putting it in the bank. The money is there first thing in the morning without fail.

Some say students are not being given a choice if they are made to either trek to the Cashier’s Office or enroll in direct deposit, that the university is bullying them into enrolling in direct deposit. I don’t see it that way. They are being offered a choice, although in their eyes, either choice is not a desirable one.

But if the university really wanted to, it could force everyone to enroll in direct deposit whether workers want to or not.

The way I see it is that we will eventually get paid twice a month if enough people go to direct deposit, so what makes it so bad?

Everyone wants to get paid more often. It’s hard to make money last an entire month. Maybe it would be easier to budget if we got paid more often.

No one likes change, but sometimes the changes are for the better. Who can argue with getting paid twice a month? Many of us had this type of compensation in other jobs and can agree it is easier to make money last two weeks instead of a whole month.

Almost half of the students on campus have gotten the idea. And we are still waiting for the other half to get the idea and thus allow everyone twice monthly compensation.

What is so bad about getting paid more often?