Millenial Stares Down Law School Loan

“I have $219,778.08 in law school student loan debt.” Thus begins Kerriann Stout’s essay, in which she describes her method for dealing with the anxiety that her huge obligation creates. It is a three-step process, beginning with acknowledging the problem. “I was in complete and utter denial,” she says. She spent most of two years not opening statements, or logging into her account. She describes the moment that she finally checked the number as fearful and embarrassing, and followed by devastation, then rage. It was obvious she had to earn more, but after taking stock, she found that controlling how she spends money made a big difference too. She concludes by reminding her “fellow in-debt, freaked out lawyer friends” that, like law school and the bar exam, the experience of crushing debt is not defining, and with the right outlook and the right plan, repayment is achievable.