Given the current system I doubt you’d do so well 10 years ago, or now.
Because since you were in school, as I’m sure you’re aware, tuitions have gone up some 800%, way, way above inflation. Meanwhile, wages and salaries have been at near stagnant for the past 20 years in many, even most sectors. In some I have experienced, they’ve even decreased, decreased -before- accounting for inflation or currency fluctuations. Like, I know people in services who could make a hundred dollars a day doing their job in 1995, who must settle for $80 a day in 2016.
Add to that that more people have been streaming for university by systems both institutional and cultural chasing the fading dream when the trades are a better risk, or services (some of which require a degree for any advancement) since manufacturing isn’t too much of an option.
In all likelihood, what you did is still possible but with much greater difficulty. Much. It is and has been the case that people can go to school on loans, be spendthrifts and still come out with unmanageable debt and low prospects even with their degree.
The only difference between you and them at this point is that you managed to graduate without unmanageable debt. Your observations about a few of your roommates aren’t a solid basis for interest that amounts to practical usury, ignores the benefit to society that education is, refuses to consider changing economic climes, and is in fact faerie money in many respects. Who would be harmed were student debt forgiven in a rational maner in response to the above? Who would be harmed if tuition were moderated and universities went back to teaching over profiting?
No one here is likely to shame you for being of modest means or for living within them. They might not agree that personal responsibility is the answer to a systemic problem, but only because it would involve ignoring evidence. I didn’t even go to university and I try not to do that.
It’s really hard to see what you’re defending beyond yourself, and it’s impossible to see an actual need for that.
edit - I know you aren’t trying to do so, but you’re effectively placing the problem of poverty at the feet of the poor. It doesn’t matter how proud they are, we don’t do that.
