My wife and I went to college and had to take out loans because neither one of us came from affluent families. We paid off those loans back in the Eighties. Finances were tight what with rent, car payments, groceries, student loan payments, etc. We also took summer school classes and worked summer jobs to pay the bills. I sure as hell am not throwing myself a pity party. We knew what we were doing, but without that degree in Computer Science we could have never achieved whatever meagre level of success we did during our careers. Lady, you borrowed the money so work and pay it back! Off my soap box now.
Before the government got involved in the student loans so it wasn't as expensive back then.