College - Welcome to the Daily Grind

What happened to college being the best time of your life? Closing in on the second year of my college career it seems that dream of college, of being on your own, exercising your freedoms and independence, now all in a pile of rubble.
I was just recently talking with a friend of mine, a former student at Queens College in Charlotte, NC. She recently due to unfortunate circumstances mostly to do with financial aid and the lack thereof, was forced to take a semester off to return home and work in order to get back on track. Her future is now on hold. Like myself, she now lives with her family in the same town she grew up in and graduated from. I remember quite clearly the hopes and dreams my classmates and I had. We would all go off to far away places, make something of ourselves, come back and make our hometown proud. We were the class of hope from our high school, full of outstanding, exceptional students. We were a class of 99 students, which means at least 2% has already returned empty handed. How did we end up here? In the exact place we never wanted to be in the first place. Is there anyway out?
Immediately after graduation, I packed my bags and head to Oklahoma State University. With out of state tuition through the roof, I took out a private loan which is now accruing ungodly interest. But I don't regret being in debt for the rest of my life, now as I sit in transfer, commuter university's food court in my hometown. Oklahoma State had everything a college student could hope for. The true college student life was there and it was all for the taking. Never did I sit in a class by fewer then two close friends in the same college as I. Never was there a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday night, that "I just didn't feel like going out" after work, or never were you alone in wanting to go out. There were always opportunities to have fun with people you knew on campus, and meet people you didn't know. Greek or not, you were friends with everyone whether you wanted to be or not. You just couldn't help it. I lived in coed dorms where nothing was ever normal or stable. It made life full of dramatic ups and downs. And the college club scenes, even in the middle of nowhere Oklahoma were the place to be, because its where "your" people were. Concerts, University sponsored events, The Bedlam Football games and the walk about before the game to see the decorations along Greek Row with students and alumni. The fun, the energy, the.... atmosphere was unique. The main thing was - College was fun.
No less than a year after the end of my freshman spring semester, I sit waiting for my next class to begin. Once I finish class, I'll go to work, cramming in hours to pay off the last of my tuition my Stafford Loan didn't cover, and then I'll go home and try to cram in as many hours of studying so I don't fall behind. And tomorrow, it will start all over again. No i am not dissatisfied with life, but with college yes. I am here to get an education, but is enjoying the time you spent getting that education too much to ask?
I'm beginning to think this over and have come to two conclusions. Either I'm not on the right path and have to get back to finding that energy that used to come from being a college student, or even a young adult, or maybe having your dreams dashed in front of you is becoming the new American Dream. I'm praying its the former as I trudge on to face my next midterm.