University Students - Some Things Never Change

I recently dusted off Medieval Europe: A Short History, a book which I started reading months ago, but which was put on hold for other books and schoolwork. I’m not quite done with it yet - about 40 more pages to go - but I came across something that I thought was pretty interesting. It’s a letter from a medieval university student to his parents:

The city is expensive and makes many demands; I have to rent lodgings, buy necessities, and provide for many other things that I cannot specify. Therefore I beg your paternity that by the prompting of divine pity you may assist me, so that I may be able to complete what I have so well begun.

As the author of the text remarks, that has quite a modern ring to it. It’s almost a little too similar to emails college kids might send their parents these days, begging for more ramen noodles and gas money.

The book also includes a father’s response to his son:

I have recently learned that you live dissolutely, preferring play to work, and strumming your guitar while others are at their studies.

Heh. I guess some things never really change. It’s probably more likely, however, that a modern father’s response would charge the offspring with spending his or her time partying or playing Xbox rather than strumming a guitar.