Harding marriage factory running at full 'swing' Not all Harding students lived the typical college Iifestylelate nights studying or goofing off in the dorm, meals with friends in the cafeteria, dates with a variety of different people and a carefree attitude toward responsibili ty. Though students often joked about Harding's reputation as a "marriage factory," Harding's environment was truly conducive to finding a Christian mate. Many students got married before they graduated; many others were already married when they enrolled. For married students, many aspects of life changed when they took on the added responsibility and additional benefits of having a spouse. For example , married students fa ced a different financia l situation than other students . Their burden was lighter in some ways and heavier in others. "We make our own meals and don't have to buy a meal plan, so that saves us money," Matt Dixon said. "But we have double the school expenses, and only one of us works right now, so that one income supports two people." Many students also said they received more financial aid after they were married. Besides money, time was another consideration for married students. "It's easier to plan and manage my time now," Jeremy Pumphrey said. "Even though I'm doing more, I don 't feel as stressed because I'm wasting less time. " Cleaning house, cooking meals and doing laundry were more time-consuming when there were two people to pick up after, two mouths to feed and two wardrobes to maintain. Many couples managed this burden by sharing the responsibility, making time management easier for both partners. "My husband helps me a lot," Leanne Pumphrey said . "He cooked just the other night , and he did very we ll even though I left an important detail out of my list of instructions. I also get a lot of housework done and don't have to cook four nights a week because he 's gone to work. " Married students found many other pe rks a regular part of married life. Jimmie Douglass and his wife Carol have been married 25 years, have five children and are both full-time students at Harding. "You don 't have to worry about arranging a date!" he said. "It's also helpful that we get to write each other'S excuses instead of going to the nurse," Dixon said. "There aren't any disadvantages to being a married student that I can think of," Jeremy Pumphrey said. "I get to live off campus, I don 't have a curfew, it's cheaper, I get homecooked meals, my grades have improved and I get to live with a beautiful woman. " t&r 28 Student Life - Wendi Keller jesseandLaura Tyree stroll to church together on a Sunday evening. A/ter Jesse g raduates in May , tbe couple will be leaving for Avanli Italia in September f or two y ears. Photo by Krlsti Burns.
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