So, I did all the “right” things. I sought out admittance at the best university possible, and I majored in my passion, English literature. I studied hard, and eventually got a masters degree. Although good grades paid for half my tuition at both places, I ended up with $100,000 in student loan debt at age 25, which was… not the plan? However, I felt determined to make a living as a writer and also pay off those pesky loans. Now, 10 years later, that loan balance is zero. The day I hit submit on the final payment felt surreal; I couldn’t believe the debt I agonized over for so long was finally gone. Honestly, I felt a little nauseated imagining that money in my bank account instead of disappearing into thin air. But then I poured a glass of bubbly, high-fived my husband and embraced a sense of freedom. Here’s how I paid off six figures of student loan debt, and the lessons I learned along the way.
