Just to add a bit of context here, a vast majority of those who have "crippling amounts of life-long debt" used their money for grad school, and so certainly were not merely 18 when they made this decision.
$40,000, the 2020 average cost of tuition (not including living expenses, books, etc), at up to 14% compounding interest... You'll have to pay over $450 a month just to cover interest.
It doesn't take that much debt at student loan interest rates to be "crushing" in this economy.
It doesn't take that much debt at student loan interest rates to be "crushing" in this economy.