Twitter user Wee-Yum took social media by storm when he posted a screenshot showing that his student loan debt stood at over $82,000. His tweet soon went viral and thousands of other students started replying with similar stories of five and six-figure loan debts.
The tweet has received 94,000 likes so far and has proved instrumental in starting a discussion among college graduates on loan debt.
This is my student loan amount. I dont stress because it aint ever getting paid off ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜. How much is yours? pic.twitter.com/jQfd0A12BV
— Wee-Yum (@MrGee54) December 7, 2020
How People Reacted
While a large number of users joked about the insane loan amounts, many also recalled how they had settled loan debt after college. Common between the two parties was the unanimous sentiment that staggering loan debt is crippling students’ lives.
Another user complained about how he graduated in 1991 and still owed over $60,000 despite making his monthly payments on time.
— James (@12gaugefitness) December 7, 2020
As of last year, over 42.2 million Americans held student loan debt. It proved to be one of the most talked-about issues during the presidential election campaign this year.Â
The comment thread on Wee-Yum’s post opened a proverbial Pandora’s Box, setting the ball rolling for a conversation regarding the debt-ridden US economy. Users said, with loan repayment on their minds, they were unable to save enough for personal priorities, including retirement.
Some also referred to Joe Biden’s loan forgiveness proposal, hoping that the incoming administration will be more lenient on student borrowers.