I borrowed $32k for two college degrees and graduated right into the great recession with an unemployment rate that was 13%. I also lost my part time job the same month I graduated so it was a real kick in the teeth. I had about $7k in the bank and zero other debt outside my student loans.

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I knew the situation was dire. I had no one that I could depend on. There was no moving back home. I somehow managed to make it one year living in a large metro with three roommates in California. In the end I still couldn't find work that wasn't temporary and I was down to my last $1000. I was driving a $1500 car and basically had no assets to my name.

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In the end I said fuck it and moved to a different part of the world. I took a huge gamble and took out a cash advance for $8k figuring fuck it i'll make this work. I was about half way to my new destination city and I honestly thought about turning around thinking I could get a job. I stayed in a hotel overnight and thought about it. The next morning I realized there was no reason to go back.

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In the end it couldn't have worked out any better. I landed a great career level job with in weeks of being in my new location. It took roughly a year and half to payback my student loan and the cash advance. I miss the fuck out of home sometimes. I always think about moving back. It's been over 9 years at this point. I've been with the same company since I moved.

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Cliff notes for my story and rant: Make personal sacrifices to pay back debts. If I had waited for the job market to improve back home i'd have been years behind and possibly in default at some point. I have no regrets about going to college or the money i borrowed to do it. If anyone wants something really to bitch about, it's the housing market, affordability is just as fucked as college. We can just add that to the list of shit that baby boomers fucked up.