It is easy to say, "pay it." 

the slippery slope 

It is not too uncommon for a young person who has finished college and is in debt to have only a vague idea that he has to get it taken care of before he can follow a vocation. Frequently, the years just start slipping by. 

debts and family 

Debts are obligations we have taken upon ourselves and simply cannot run away from. But then there are debts, and debts. 

Sometimes, part or most is owed to family members, and they are often more likely to take time and interest to understand your situation if you want to follow a vocation. They will probably understand that you are not looking for an easy way out, and would be the very ones to spot it if you were. In some cases their own personal situation might even allow them to pardon you part or all of your debt, but if you tend to be irresponsible this may not necessarily be a good thing.  

I have also seen families rally around the young person who is setting about paying his debt. They see his goal and his willingness to work, and they pitch in - a few hours overtime here, a pinch of savings there, give up a movie and put it in the kitty, and so forth. Their sacrifices are added to and become part of his big step, their generosity becomes part of his gift to God.  

Then there was another case, how unique I don't know. A young man was in debt, asked his Dad for help. He got the answer that he had better wake up and learn responsibility. A short while later he got a job at the warehouse of a friend of the family. Pretty hard work but he was surprised at how high the pay was and the opportunities for overtime which paid even better. He was able to pay off his debts and enter the seminary sooner than he expected. Only years later, when he went home for his Dad's funeral, did the family friend tell him the secret he had promised to keep: the reason he got the job and that the wages were so good was because his Dad was paying the salary, and the friend pitched in the extra for the overtime.  

However, it is much more common that your family would love to help you, but there are other kids going through college now, someone else is getting his teeth fixed, a sister is getting married, a grandparent is back in hospital... Or maybe they just don't understand, or are opposed, or feel you need to get over this one yourself. Family help is out.  

the cart and the horse 

If asked to describe this situation, you might possibly say: I have a debt and I have to put my vocation on hold until I get it out of the way.  

That is to put the cart before the horse. 

The right way around is: I have a vocation, so my first step has to be to get that debt out of the way in order to follow it. Otherwise, debts tend to drag on endlessly. In other words, you have to make the decision right away, so that it is your vocation, or the possibility that you have one, that guides your actions.  

Your vocation decision is not something you put off until all your debts are paid and all the obstacles are out of the way. That will be too late. Your vocation decision is what is going to put order and direction into your life and your choices, and give urgency to solving your debts. 

An example might help. Jim (he is a real person, I just loaned him a new name) had some debts. Nothing extraordinary by today's standards, a few grand. He rented his own apartment, his car was old and not worth much, it was okay on gas but guzzled oil - and it cost insurance. He did not live far from his parents or from his work. He wanted to be a priest, everything else besides the debt looked positive so the advice was simple: drop the apartment and take the loss on the security deposit, move back in with your parents (they didn't mind), get rid of your car and use a bike, then cut corners, sell your stereo and some of your equipment (he was an archer and had some bows that he said were worth a lot) and in a couple of months you will be free and clear and ready to take the next step. The next time we met, imagine my surprise when he excitedly told me he had an opportunity to go to Eastern Europe... it would just take some savings he had, and a little more he was getting on loan from an uncle; no, he'd decided not to move back in with his parents; for the time being he'd rather hold on to his car and equipment. Aren't you digging a bigger hole for yourself...? I no longer remember his answer, or rather the reason he gave for his answer. As far as I know, years later he is still thinking of getting out of debt, his vocation still on hold. 

priorities 

When your priorities are not straight you can easily get sidetracked. A vocation, even the possibility of one, should be treated as a priority. It is what God has chosen for you because he loves you, and it is his plan to make your life fruitful and happy, deeply happy, in a way that the world, its ambitions and pleasures (and debts) will not.  

So you have to see what is really at stake, and if you find that you are letting anything get in the way of paying off your debt, put it in its place and zero in on getting your obligation squared away. ASAP. The freedom will feel wonderful. Then you will be able to do something much more wonderful with it - you can use it to give yourself freely (and "free and clear") to God.