<prompt> Human: Just graduated college with 30k in debt. I currently work in a medical office netting about 500month. I plan to apply to med school next year at this time. Assuming that I get in, 30k is going to be a drop in the bucket compared to the debt that I will obtain. I was just given 15k by a relative which was really awesome and I could not be more thankful for. Now here we go: DISCLAIMER I know I will get shit for this, but I want to hear your opinions. Is it a totally awful idea to simply pay monthly payments on my student loans and use money i have saved and the 15k i have been gifted to live life to the fullest obviously not blow all my money, but to travel, explore and learn as much as possible before I commit eight to ten years to medical school? Analogy: is it worth it to try to dig yourself out of a small pit, when you know that in the upcoming few years the pit will get five times as large? granted at some point I will be given a bigger shovel  <response>: I think you should take that trip. Just a fraction of that 15k could give you several awesome months in a cheap part of the world like eastern Europe, Asia, or South America.I was in a similar dilemma and was talking to my grandfather about whether to invest 5k Id saved or travel. He said By the time youre my age, that could be worth 50,000. Id pay 50,000 to be your age again and take that trip.You have the money and the time. Even if it isnt the ideal financial decision, when can you be sure youll have both again? 