Help those who have already gone to College that have mountains of student load debt. I can barely afford my payments.

I have a college degree and tons of student loan debt just like most college students. There is plenty of talk about making college more affordable and creating quality jobs, but no talk about the struggle of those who have already completed college and have a job.
I have a good job, I also have such large student loan payments that my life is worse than my friends who don't have a college education. I keep telling myself it'll get better, but my repayment plan says I have 19 years left, and I can barely afford my payments now.
I've called Sallie Mae to try to consolidate to one loan with a lower interest rate and their response is always the same, "due to the economic downturn we are not consolidating student loans at this time".
This just isn't fair.