About 7 years. I owed about 12K after graduation and just did the default payment (which would have taken about 16 years, but it was low). Later I borrowed an

About 7 years. I owed about 12K after graduation and just did the default payment (which would have taken about 16 years, but it was low). Later I borrowed another 12K or so for a car. After year 6 the car was about 1/3 paid off. At that point I read "Vagabonding" which put the idea in my head that debt could be an impediment to freedom. I got a higher paying job. By the time I got around to looking into increasing the monthly payments, I realized I had enough saved to just pay off the loans in one swift stroke.