This may sound selfish to many but let me explain, in the current age where we are trying to get debt forgiven, which may be beneficial in some ways, we need to make sure that all voices are being heard.

My career does not pay well enough to pay back student loans. Therefore, my wife and I decided from before we were even married that we would prioritize paying off the loans. For nearly two years, we put off even thinking of buying a home, having children, upgrading our vehicles, spending time with friends and family, and yes, even pursuing the careers that we originally went to school for to begin with. We sacrificed collectively 140-152 hours every week, of our lives, to work jobs that we did not like, to pay off our debt. Well, when the CARES act passed, we were down to $2000 owed, and we finally paid it off. This is to prove that it can be done, it is incredibly difficult, but, possible.

So, we are likely going to, as a country, forgive student loan debt. That may be a good thing. But, my wife and I's story isn't the only one like it. If we had known that paying the minimum to later have it wiped had been an option, those tens of thousands of dollars of payments, would have been a down-payment for our first home and maybe, there would be the pitter-patter of little feet down our hallways today. This metaphorical house does not exist though. We are, just now, in our mid-20's, beginning to pursue our careers and house shop. 

Please, consider the lives and sacrifice of those of us that paid off the loans. Consider as well the lives of those that chose not to even go to college for whatever the reason. Perhaps, those that paid them off could receive a refund of $10k or an amount based upon what was paid in. If all debts are to be forgiven, there should at least, at absolute minimum, be a tax deduction of some kind for those of us that paid the debt off or never accrued it at all.

Talk to those in power of those of us that put our lives aside to pay back these loans. Talk to those in power of those that never accrued any debt at all. As a country, we have to think of the country as a whole when we are making decisions such as these.