I've had two student loans in my working life. Both times I saw it as a privilege, not a right, to have that loan. I took I out on the understanding that if I only paid back the minimum it would cost me more in the long run.

I also chose to study in areas I was passionate about.

My first course of study was at CPIT where I spent two years studying to transition from being an Enrolled nurse to a Registered Nurse.

I was accepted for the programme just before Christmas (the mid-1990s) with a start date in February the following year. At the time, a student loan was the only way I could manage to pay the fees required.

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While I studied full time I continued to work at least 20 hours a week as an Enrolled Nurse. It was probably the hardest two years of my life both work and study wise. I had no social life at all and the bare minimum of life essentials. But I made it through and got a new job as an RN very quickly.

After graduating my plan was to pay back the loan as quickly as possible. I'd already been poor - so being poor for another 12-18 months didn't seem that bad if it got the loan out of the way.

Once I did that I spent a number of years working before studying in another field - Art. I again borrowed to cover my fees and then started paying it back immediately - as again I was working and studying at the same time. Once I finished I only had a small loan balance and paid that off within a year or so.

I find it frustrating that people accept a loan and then whine about having to pay it back and how much more it costs them if they only pay the minimum. I'm afraid my automatic reaction is to tell them to suck it up.

You chose the field you wanted to study in, you knew what sort of work you'd be able to do when qualified and also (if you were forward thinking enough) the likelihood of vacancies in that field.

You also knew that the money you received wasn't a gift - it was a LOAN. And loans have to be repaid. And like any loan, if you pay just a bit more it will cost you less over time.

Frankly, irrespective of whether you are currently overseas or living in NZ, you have borrowed money. Just because that loan came via the government doesn't mean you can choose to default on it. After all, ultimately your loan came from people just like you (when they paid their taxes).

So, for those few who have been acting generally entitled and complaining - just pay back what you owe. There are others coming up who also want an education that may change their lives.