I am writing in response to the article regarding federal student loan changes (Nov. 20). After college graduation, I was faced with more than $40,000 in student loan debt. One of my proudest moments was paying off that student debt entirely 10 years later. I paid that loan off without any assistance from anyone else. It took a decade of sacrificing, budgeting and working two to three jobs at times—but I did it!

It frustrates me to learn that once again, the taxpayer credit card will be used in situations like forgiving student loan debt. There are going to be some struggles in life and we cannot continue to throw a life preserver out to everyone. Accountability is a word that people need to know. In some situations, assistance is needed. We need to step back and decide in what situations we ask ourselves if we can work a little harder before turning to an automatic handout when there is a bump in the road.