Amy Krol is a University of Oregon alumna who talks about student debt through the group Oregon Student Debtors, a Facebook group for local students facing debt from student loans to find support and advice from other students. Here’s what she said about the growing issue of debt of today’s college students:
So you are a UO grad. What did you study?
International studies and romance languages. I officially graduated in March 2014 and walked in June. I did four years and two terms, so five years.
How did you pay for your education?
I have paid for my education through working during summers and also having a part-time job during school. My parents have helped me when they can, and I’ve had scholarships, but the majority is through student debt.
How much debt are you facing?
About $35,000.
Did you have friends with debt as well? How did they deal with it?
Yeah, definitely. I have friends that have student debt, I have friends that have full-ride scholarships, I have friends who don’t have student debt and who have friends who are paying for their education. But for me, this issue is generational. Whether you didn’t ever have a chance to go to college or whether your parents paid for college or whether you’re 30 grand in debt or 100 grand in debt, we’re all in this together. We’re connected to one another even in regards to our debt.
Was there a moment before graduating when you realized that your debt was a reality?
The reality of paying my debt really happened when I graduated. When I got the notifications, it became real. Right now, I don’t make enough money to pay my debt back, so it’s on hold for a year.
How did your passion for this issue fuel Oregon Student Debtors?
When I was graduating, I really wanted there to be a collectivity of us to be together on this issue and fight it together, and at that moment, something that I thought of was Facebook and organizing people with social media.
It’s about sharing information and having a place to go on the Internet. I would like for it to be more than that and be a place where people can create events and meet up personally.
The other part, besides sharing information, is to organize around student debt. The message really is that we are 40 milion student debtors and we have a lot of power. Imagine if we stopped paying our debt all at once, you know?
As a graduate facing student debt, do you have any advice for current students who are paying for their education?
I would tell them that they are paying for school, and they signed their name whether they want to go back on it or not, so make it worth it. If you feel like you need to drop out of school and pursue something else, and it’s not working for you, go do it. If you need to finish school and get a certain degree, go and do it. Get your bang for your buck and follow your heart and your passions, whether that’s 18th century literature or a Spanish degree.
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