Maigan Kelly, a theater major at Meredith College in Raleigh, North Carolina, came up with a unique twist on graduation photos: She opted to focus on her student-loan bills instead of her diploma.
The photo set, featuring Kelly lying in a pile of overdue notices and holding a sign that reads “Will run lines for food,” has made its way to the front page of Imgur.
Kelly told BuzzFeed that she believes the images became popular because so many fellow college students and recent graduates find them relatable. “I don’t have any friends who don’t have debt from school,” she said.
According to the Institute for College Access and Success, 69% of college seniors who graduated in 2014 had student loan debt—$28,950, on average.
See the full photo set in the Imgur post:
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Cybersecurity Experts Are Sounding the Alarm on DOGE
- Meet the 2025 Women of the Year
- The Harsh Truth About Disability Inclusion
- Why Do More Young Adults Have Cancer?
- Colman Domingo Leads With Radical Love
- How to Get Better at Doing Things Alone
- Michelle Zauner Stares Down the Darkness
Contact us at letters@time.com