1. Never, ever consolidate your loans. Never move them to a commercial bank or other lender for promises of a lower rate - EVER. Commercial lenders can take more money from you 25% vs. Federal 15% IF it comes to wage garnishment, and they can do it sooner. They can charge higher interest rates, fees and penalties. Private lenders can hound you more than the government. This is why private lenders seek to buy debt.
2. Use every deferment.
3. If you are supposed to make monthly payments, a SL is considered in default when past 270 days. You want to contact the lender a short time after that, but before it leaves their system for possible wage garnishment, usually 365 days. Ask them when it would leave their system. Why? To drag it out as long as possible, you may be able (like I am) to* speak with your lender once a year.* When you do, ask them to send your options for repayment via regular mail. They will put an administrative hold on your account while they await your reply. I never reply. This resets the clock counting down 270 days. Do this after you have used every deferment.
4. Lenders don't want it to go garnishment. They get more if they can get you to repay in full or close to it. They bought your loan for pennies on the dollar hence their motivation. A bad deal, being burdened with $50 and more student loans at the start of your life is a bad deal however you slice it. Period. The greater your debt, the greater your stress; Everyone’s situation is different, but the fact is if you’re married, have kids, house & car notes and more, you are under more pressure. A bigger issue than meets the eye: There is a genuine inequality in our financial and political system. You can help take it down by becoming informed about how you have been set up to be a debt slave. This isn’t conspiracy shit of the Alex Jones variety. Don’t get sidetracked into that. This is the straight dope about how we are manipulated and controlled by those who control money, those who have exempted themselves because they are too big to fail, those who profit at our expense. It’s time for change. It is well enough that people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system, for if they did, I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning. Henry Ford

First knowledge, second organized resistance, third reform. I urge you to watch these videos. The Money Masters, The Creature from Jekyll Island, and, especially Money as Debt. The story of your life. This is much, much bigger than a single individual. Debt can enslave you only when you submit to it. I won't. When enough people stop complying, they can force change.