You can live 15 minutes outside manhattan on $25k/year, and do just fine. I did this my last year of grad school. Does having a roommate count as "Dickensian" living conditions?
What is your point? That "living with a roommate" == "dickensian living conditions"?
The only changes to my lifestyle now that I have a real job is a) no roommates and b) I drink outside more than in, and pay less attention to happy hour.
