By the end of my college career, I will have accumulated about $40,000 in debt from loans.

Seem like a pretty high number?

A lot of my friends can’t even fathom how one racks up so much debt without any credit cards or cute shoes to show for it.

Unfortunately, this is the price I’ll be paying for my college education.

And that’s not even including the $15,000 parent loan my mom took out to keep me fed and housed in the dorms my freshman year.

When I reveal to people that I’m so far in the proverbial hole, they ask me how I can remain so calm about the situation.

After all, that’s a grand total of $55,000 looming above my head, just waiting to come crashing down and completely smother me in a matter of one year.

Truthfully, I try not to think about it right now since there’s nothing I can really do to fix the problem.

I can’t start making payments on any of the loans now since I only work part time at a little more than minimum wage.

After I pay my bills and buy essentials, I have almost no money for everyday expenses, let alone enough to make payments on my loans.

So, instead of getting stomach ulcers and having anxiety that keeps me up at night, I just kind of go with the flow of what’s happening right now.

I try to focus all of my energy into work, school and the organizations I’m involved in because that is what’s important while I’m still a student.

Right now, I need to be a student first instead of a nervous wreck who kills herself worrying about the future.

Which is really hard when I’m awake at 1 a.m., and I start frantically worrying about the future.

But until I have my diploma in my hand and a full-time job, I physically and mentally can’t deal with this monster that’s constantly at my door.

But for right now, I’m just going to power through.

Megan Mann can be reached at [email protected] or @meganisthemann on Twitter.