Love this story. A man after my own heart.

Gets deep in student debt, goes to the North, pays it off, then secretly lives in a van on campus while he completes his graduate work.

Yeah, he's flogging a book or two now. Better than waiting for welfare, so good on him.

http://www.businessinsider.com/ken-ilgunas-lived-in-his-van-to-pay-for-college-2013-6?op=1

I'm guessing that during all his years in grad school, the van wasn't ever "a-rockin'."

Seems to me he worked hard, thought independently, and was willing to make personal sacrifices to do that graduate work. He wanted to be there. He was focused on task, not on partying and flagrant use of carnal knowledge.

Then again, he did spend a lot of time in the library. I've heard stories about what goes on in the stacks ...

Yes, especially the section still labeled with the Dewey Decimal System. Nobody ever goes there. Sometimes it's used to store spare library furniture, which adds to the possibilities.

You know, the upshot is that whoever decides to date him in spite of the van is probably not a shallow person. You also know whoever rejects him just because of the van is probably not a keeper.

Unfortunately, this is what a normal person has to do to have a decent education without debt. This story should actually be the norm. Instead, young people are lulled into a state of blissful ignorance throughout their education. Many are there to party harder than study. Later, they must contend with huge debts, unless the kid is a trust fund baby or similar.

It used to be the case that a parent of normal means could save up enough to send all their kids through any college. Now, that concept is reserved only for high income families with parents who didn't get divorced and didn't drain their savings in court battles over child support, custody, and alimony.

I digress. It just irritates me when I see some kids going to college and not taking their opportunities seriously like the guy in this story does.