Student loan debt: How'd you avoid it, how're you paying it, how does it affect you?

I saw a joke in the joke thread about twenty and thirty somethings starting out with crushing debt while their parents started with "nothing". Some say those kids are lazy and/or should've gotten a better degree or worked jobs instead of getting giant loans. Some say their parents should have told them that getting a trade was ok too, or should have saved money to give the kids for college.

What say you about your experience? If you have no student loan debt, or very little, how'd you do that? If you have higher student loan debt, how'd that happen and what are you doing to avoid letting it crush you? How do you go about making a living without a four-year college education? If you have a four-year college education, how is it helping you make a living? How is it not helping you make a living?

For me, I was 20, I worked two jobs. One was about 18 hours a week and the other was about 24 hours a week, and eventually quit the shorter one and went full time at the other. I also got a $2,500 loan to get me over the book prices and such. Paid that off a long time ago, though it was slow going.

I also chose a specific degree that could make me a living with only an associate's degree. Registered nursing. Did that for a few years and then joined the Army and did intelligence. Got out, got back into the medical crap. So now I have the $40,000 MGIB, so I'll use that on a B.S. and a Master's. Good to go.

For my kids, I have this Gerber plan... I pay Gerber about $100 (it slowly goes up over the years) and when my kids turn 18, they'll each get $10,000 cash for school (or a car if they have scholarships, or something like that). In addition to that, I will also let them know that there are many rewarding trades that will make a fine living letting you do something you enjoy, and actually PRODUCING something. College is one way, but it's not the only way, and it's not always the best way at age 18 or 20 or 22.

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Student loan debt: How'd you avoid it, how're you paying it, how does it affect you?