Nothing is sweeter that seeing “PAID IN FULL” at the top of my Great Lakes account. Last Friday, I decided it was time to pay off my law school loans. Six years ago this month I had just landed my first job after passing the bar and getting sworn in as a practicing attorney. I hadn’t paid a law school loan payment yet, but the thought of it made me nauseous. My balance was over $152K and I was just starting to look at amortization tables to see if I could pay it off by my 40th birthday. Honestly, as much as I’ve looked at those tables and obsessed over paying off my law school loans, there were days I didn’t think this day would come.

Wherever you are in your student loan journey, know this day will come for you too, and it’s closer than you think. Make a plan and stick with it. You can do it!