You are so much more than your debt + Advice for new students

Good afternoon all,

THIS IS GOING TO BE A LONG ONE SO PLEASE ONLY READ IF YOU WANT TO AND HAVE THE TIME

First off I’d like to thank each and every one of you for posting your stories and those that offer genuine help. I’d like to just jump right in to the meat and potatoes of why I’m posting. I’ve struggled with intense depression and anxiety due to student loan debt. Thankfully I’ve developed a mental support system that I recommend anyone who shares to please seek help from the appropriate channels.

I graduated with a Bachelors in Health Science from my university is Dec of 2024. I originally went to a private 4 year institution for Nursing back in 2018 when I graduated from high school. Well, that didn’t really work out. COVID made nursing school online which was just my final nail in the coffin. I then took a year off and finally went back to finish a degree and while I am grateful to myself for finishing, it wasn’t worth attending the cool fancy private school.

I played football for the original school I went to, reluctantly, as it was my father who pushed me to do it so he could live through me. I played 2 solid years but then classes started getting harder to juggle so I hung up the cleats.

So why am I telling this and putting it on Reddit? Well, I am currently staring down the barrel of about 127K in private student loans with Sallie Mae and about 40ish K federal student loans. It has caused an insane amount of mental anguish for just how stupid of a decision my parents and I made when I was that impressionable. I make about 25 dollars an hour full time work. I am probably getting a second job here soon to be able to afford my bills. But here’s the kicker.
I’m still alive and so are you.

Even with 15-1600 dollar minimum payments.

You deserve to be breathing and live your life. While student loans can feel like the weight of the world if crushing down on you for some stupid decisions you made when you just became an adult, they shouldn’t be your end. And trust me, I am ALL for student loan forgiveness because that would be amazing. But for how things are going right now, I don’t foresee the current administration making it easy for that to be a possibility.

Take a deep breath, make a game plan, and weather the storm. Move in with parents (even though I know that either may be incredibly difficult or impossible), get more roommates, make a budget and stick to it, and please for the LOVE of GOD don’t deprive yourself of doing anything fun. Go out and have a drink (as long as you’re old enough), go buy a coffee, buy a video game, whatever, as long as you are breathing, you can make it. I believe in you.

And for any prospective student who is reading this,

1. Go to community college and pay your way through ( it is the single most effective thing you can do to limit the amount of student loans you will have)
2. Go to an in state school or a school that offers in state tuition rates
3. (Private schools are NOT worth it, unless you have a full ride then ignore this whole post)
4. Understand that while the degree you may be seeking sounds SUPER interesting and cool, it will not always translate to stable employment. The earlier you accept the possibility the better.

That’s all I got. If anyone needs a comforting word or wants advice as a prospective student please let me know. I am definitely not one for financial advice down to the numbers but I figured I’d lend a helpful word. 🙂