Ask Evie: I’m 22 With $100k In Debt. Would I Be Stupid To Pursue My Dreams?

READER’S QUESTION: "Dear Evie, I'm a broke 22-year-old recent college graduate with nearly $100k in student loan debt. To save money and have stability, I moved back in with my parents (who agreed to let me stay for up to a year) and freelance remotely. While I am sincerely grateful for their support as I attempt to strategize my next steps, we have some fundamental disagreements on my priorities.

While my parents have always pushed for the conventional path to success (graduate from college, work a 9-5 job, start a family later, retire at 65), I realized I don’t want that life for myself. Instead, I want to become a writer, content creator/podcast host, and model – things I believe will bring me more fulfillment (and return) in the long run. Additionally, I want to focus on my health this year, switching from the processed food we typically consume to healthier, nutrient-dense alternatives (raw milk, grass-fed beef, pasture-raised eggs, etc.).

However, my parents deem these goals a complete waste of time and money, sometimes belittling my pursuits and scolding my food purchases. I completely understand their urge for me to take the conventional route while 'saving money' in the process, but I fear the regret of not using this valuable opportunity and time to chase my goals and instead 'play it safe.' I know it’s a risk, considering my limited time and enormous debt, but I believe the return could be life-changing with a good work ethic, ingenuity, and consistency. Currently, I am pursuing my goals in secret, buying as much time as I can to succeed before my parents force me to get a 'real job.'

I’m aware there’s a lot at stake here, but am I wrong to use this time to invest in my goals despite my parents’ disapproval? Is it wiser to put off my aspirations until I clear my loans and/or relocate? How should I spend the rest of my 20s considering the massive obstacles ahead? 

Signed, your absolute biggest fan!"

EVIE’S ADVICE: Adult children and parents will always have something they disagree about. For some, it's saving money versus saving time. For you and your parents, it's a matter of lifestyle. Figuring out how to maintain your priorities while maintaining your relationship is just part of adult family life. It's prudent to minimize conflict while you are under your parents' roof and taking advantage of their kindness, but you don't have to fully give up some of your goals to do that. For example, with your food choices, you can still focus on eating unprocessed, conventional whole foods without jumping into the deep end of "only organic/raw/grass-fed." It's healthier than processed foods and cheaper than going full-on crunchy. It’s hard to justify buying expensive food like raw milk and grass-fed beef without a job, especially if it’s on your parents’ dime. There are also countless other ways to focus on your health this year that don’t cost nearly as much as switching your diet. Meditating, walking, hydrating, stress management, 28 Wellness workout videos – all of these things are free and can improve your health dramatically. Once the year is up and you're living on your own, then you can transition your diet on your own terms and on your own dime.

If you get good at something and do well and it’s not immoral, your parents will most likely be thrilled.

As far as your goals go, it's important to remain grateful to your parents for allowing you to live with them rent-free, but ultimately, if this is what you want, there's no better time than now to go for it and take the leap. You don't have anyone to rely on you at this time (like kids), you have minimal bills (except for the school loan debt) and you'll never regret chasing your true passions in life. So much can change in a single year. Your twenties are for taking risks! But there's a difference between saying you're taking risks to follow your passions and actually pursuing them aggressively and diligently.

If you want to pursue goals like modeling, the best cities in the U.S. you can live in to do it full-time are NYC, LA, Miami, and possibly Dallas (which would be the most affordable option). Take it from our resident model and Evie’s Founder, Brittany Martinez, who has shot for major brands and magazines all over the world. She recommends that if you're trying to become a model or influencer, understand why you want to do it first. Is it because you think you'll make a lot of money? Or it provides a glamorous life? Let's start with modeling.

The vast majority of models typically don’t make a lot of money unless they’re famous and come from rich families like Bella Hadid or Kendall Jenner. Most of your everyday models are rushing around to castings daily, hoping to book a $2,000 job that they won’t ultimately get paid for another 90 days after they shoot it. Models who have huge followings have a big advantage in booking jobs, but organically building a large following generally takes years. It's not as glamorous as people think, and the rates are drastically lower than they used to be. If you're determined to try, you need to be in close proximity to one of the cities listed above. You should submit to reputable modeling agencies and spend your days going to and from as many castings as possible while creating digital content. Let's talk "influencing."

Most people think they'll follow the same path as Instagram influencers from 5 years ago. Take a bunch of pretty pictures, magically build a big following, and then reach out to brands and get paid to travel and review products that get sent to your door. While that can be a long term vision, it's very unlikely that it happens within the time frame you're talking about. This is why people like your parents don't think it's "realistic" or a "real job." But here's where you both are wrong.

There is an entire new digital economy that is changing the world, like the internet did (people then though it was a fad and wouldn't take off). The fastest, easiest, path right now to making legitimate and consistent money with "influencing" is by selling products for other brands on TikTok Shop. There are countless examples of young people with no college degrees making tens of thousands of dollars per month. Some twenty year olds are even making $50K-$100k a month. Basically, you purchase a product off TikTok shop from a brand that is heavily focused on influencer marketing. You don't have to have a big following to do this. The following really doesn't matter because the algorithm is still based on equally rewarding good content, regardless of the account that's making it. Learn how to do TikTok shop extremely well. Do some research on TikTok shop and really dedicate yourself to making your videos go viral consistently. TikTok shop will teach you how to story-tell (hook, story, call to action), and it’s a way you can make money quickly so that you can afford rent when your time is up at your parents. Once you learn how to make your videos go viral and can get a revenue stream going on there, you can utilize that as an influencer while pursuing other, more long-term goals.

This is not some far-fetched thing. Literally anyone can do it if they have a smartphone. You can follow accounts on X that teach creators how to sell on TikTok Shop, join a Discord group, and if you are good at selling aka influencing people, you will make money in no time.

Start by creating a vision board for yourself. Then make an action plan for the next ten months. You can use the SMART goal setting framework. SMART stands for:

Specific: Your goal should be clear and precise, answering the questions: Who, What, Where, When, and Why?

Measurable: You need a way to track your progress and determine when you've achieved the goal. Ask yourself: How will I know when it’s done?

Achievable: Your goal should be realistic and attainable, based on your resources, skills, and time. Stretch yourself but be honest about what's possible.

Relevant: Make sure the goal aligns with your broader ambitions and priorities. Ask: Why is this goal important to me right now?

Time-bound: Set a deadline or timeframe to keep yourself motivated and focused. Ask: When do I want to achieve this?

As the saying goes, "you can have anything in life, but you can't have everything." The more goals you have, the less focused you'll be. Prioritizing is key.

Create a routine that leverages good habits. Prime yourself mentally every day with positive thinking and affirmations. We recommending listening to The Strangest Secret daily, which you can find on Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube, which will help your mindset. If that's not your style, listen to Tony Robbins or someone who has dedicated their life to the science of achievement. With your vision board, a SMART plan, and strong daily habits, you'll be on your way. Spend as many hours as you possibly can learning TikTok Shop and creating videos.

Ultimately, our parents grew up in a different generation, and many of them don’t fully understand the power or revenue potential of digital marketing and platforms like TikTok Shop, where you don't even have to show your face. These simply weren’t options when they were searching for careers. A few short years ago, many savvy parents wanted their children to become computer engineers. It was considered a safe, high-paying job. Now, artificial intelligence is changing the world and will be changing the world economy - and countless jobs - in profound ways. The world will continue to change, and many of our parents will fail to understand the new opportunities that exist, especially if they challenge the thinking that's ingrained in them.

You’re not wrong for wanting to use this time to dedicate to your goals. This is your life, and you have to decide what kind of life you want to live, and what you're willing to do in exchange for that. Your parents aren’t wrong either for feeling a bit cautious. They likely only want the best for you and don’t want you to be drowning in $100k worth of debt or feel like they have to bail you out or support your lifestyle long-term. When they're the ones paying the bills, it's natural for them to feel the right to tell you what you should be doing. At the end of the day though, if you get good at something and do well and it’s not immoral, your parents will most likely be thrilled. If you're on month 10 of dedicating yourself to TikTok shop and modeling and have had no success (which is impossible if you're doing it right), then you should look at getting a job utilizing your degree.

Wishing you more than luck!

Have a question you want our advice on? Email it to us at ask@eviemagazine.com.