How many of you are in a job you hate because of your student loan debt?

I am currently writing an article for the New England Journal of Higher Education about the problem of health issues, and covering health costs as an indentured educated servant. The piece includes testimonials from a number of courageous debtors who shared their stories with me, and I am grateful for their willingness to provide intimate details about their personal lives. These tales illuminate the devastating toll that the student lending crisis is taking. One particular story I received deserves further mention here. It comes from a young woman who, like so many of you, believed and was told that a college degree would ensure that she would make a good living and be able to enjoy a good life.

I read the story yesterday while an older taxi driver whisked me to work in Korea, and it was difficult not to cry (but I didn't want the old taxi driver to feel uncomfortable, not that he would have even noticed. Koreans, at least in public, have a fantastic way of ignoring one another). The email is nearly 7 pages long printed, and I finished it before classes began. Not only does the young woman - let's call her Ms.T - detail her health woes, which will be included in my forthcoming article for the NEJHE, but she also highlights a number of significant societal issues that intersect with the student lending crisis. Her piece was so moving that this post will be the first in a series that will demonstrate how her predicament exemplifies much larger societal problems. 

Ms. T's story includes a little of something that we can all relate to. In 2004 she received her BA in Sociology from USC. After graduating, she had a difficult time finding a job. Thanks to a neighbor's father, she finally found work after 6 months of searching. Sadly, this was not an ideal job. Ms. T explains, "from day one, I hated that job with a passion. It had nothing to do with my hopes or dreams for my future."

Many realists who are job-hunting consultants would claim that Ms. T is foolish in thinking that her degree would allow her to pursue the job of her dreams. While it is true that college students or even job hunters shouldn't limit themselves to searching for jobs that are connected to things they're passionate about (I seriously cringed when writing that), Ms. T's job preferences are not without warrant. She wanted and wants to help people, and work in the non-profit sector. What's so wrong about that? Ms. T is yet another example of someone who wishes to be of service to other Americans, but is unable to do so, because she is an indentured educated servant.

Ms. T continues, "So there I was . . . I had to pay almost $1500 per month on my student loans. I couldn't work at a non-profit organization because I had to survive, you know? And, they don't pay enough. Where would I find money to pay for my rent and housing without a decent wage?"

So here's the question: how many of you are in a job that you hate because of your student loan debt?