Soon to be college grad in need of advice- what's the deal with Bitcoin?

[SpontaneousDream]

Hi all,

A friend introduced me to Bitcoin the other day and it sparked my interest. Is this the real thing? Should I treat it as more of an investment or will it actually be useful to my everyday life? What would cause Bitcoin to lose much of its value? Can governments actually stop it/regulate it? What's the best way for me to understand the concept?

I'm a soon to be college graduate with about 15k in debt that I need to pay off (should be able to do it within a year), should I stay away from Bitcoin for now? Also, I plan on traveling around the world for a while after my debts are paid off, will Bitcoin be used for this?

Also, how secure is it if someone tried to steal my money?

Thanks!

[Light]

I'm a soon to be college graduate with about 15k in debt that I need to pay off (should be able to do it within a year), should I stay away from Bitcoin for now? Also, I plan on traveling around the world for a while after my debts are paid off, will Bitcoin be used for this?

Also, how secure is it if someone tried to steal my money?

Deal with your debts first, you don't to have to worry daily about price spikes and falls in the value of BTC which will happen when you need to pay off a loan. I'm doubtful you'll see a use for BTC outside the semi-niche position it is in at the moment, although it may become more widespread in the coming years. My advice just enjoy your holiday with fiat.

It's secure so long as you take the necessary steps - everyone who has lost stuff has done so because of not taking the necessary precautionary measures (i.e 2FA, cold storage).

Overall, in the meantime read about Bitcoin and try to fully understand what it is and how it works. Read Satoshi's whitepaper - that's a good place to start.