Why you should be very happy with your student debt

I sometimes joke about not being able to log in to DigiD so I can't know how high the damage is. But that's obviously nonsense.

I know very well that I studied for a long time (ten years, wow), borrowed a lot and always, and therefore have quite a student debt open. But yeah. In the meantime, I do go out to eat. I shop. I spend money. I buy a house for example. Oops. Sometimes I feel a bit guilty about larger purchases: shouldn't I pay off some extra so that I'm debt-free? But then I also think: well, every month something is deducted, I don't have too much trouble with it and it is what it is. Because I'm actually happy with my student debt. And you from now on too.

Because it's just a good sign: you're a life enjoyer. Always have been. Of course, I also worked during my studies, but well, that extra money from the IB Group (is it still called that, no right? God, I'm getting old) came in handy every month. That was probably the same for you. If you have a considerable debt since your student days, then you should be proud of yourself. You choose happiness. You also chose fun and pleasure back then. For the pure life, you don't think too much about tomorrow and that's fine. It doesn't always have to be. In your younger years, you wanted to celebrate, do what you felt like, and honestly? That's worth its weight in gold. That completely carefree time will never come back.

Thanks to my friends at DUO (oh yes, I believe that's what it's called) I went on a world trip in those younger years. I traveled for months in Australia and New Zealand, saw Bali, went to Las Vegas with a friend (I better not write a post about that) and returned home via Los Angeles and New York. It was amazing. A memory for life and well, I'm not saying you should just borrow money everywhere because then I would have done it again and get angry parents on my back, but for me that debt that is still open is more than worth it. How silly it is that money is deducted every month, I don't regret it for a second.

So. If you're a bit older now and are dutifully paying off that student debt, be proud of yourself every month. You did it: you were a real student. As students do, to lead a loose and wild life, without worrying about savings and having to pay off that 200 euros a month once you're working. Did you care? You were happy that you could pay your rent and drink vodka-apple juice in the pub. I'm proud of you.

Hop, if you're still studying, max out that loan and go see the world. Blame me later. You'll thank me later.