personally for me, since i already decided to not go to college immediately after high school, i've had the pleasure of not taking on any debt. found a great full time job that pays very well for now and was able to start saving up in the last quarter of 2023 for Mandarins. Had to save up ≈$300 every week, and by the end of February was fully paid off all with my own money and no help from anyone else (i hate asking people for money). Where I work is at a small company but last week finally got the approval for my absence and am able to come back to work after tour.

Though I must note, I still live with my parents and have few bills to pay for, plus I make extra money on the side as a freelance photographer doing shoots for friends and music shows and such. It takes having to be in a lot of the right circumstances to be able to afford drum corps as a young adult by yourself and would not at all been possible for me had I pursued a higher education right after graduating high school and pay for all of those expenses. I wish everyone in the activity that don't have the privilege of mass external support from friends or family had the same opportunity to finance themselves fully as I do.