I'm trying to run a full node on debian by just runnning bitcoind, but its stuck around 2015/16 forever.
Is it "stuck" or is it "slow"?
Does it really have to verrify everything from the beginning?
If you want to run a full node and don't rely on others: yes.
Can I somehow get a full node downloaded faster?
Find the bottleneck in your setup and fix it. It could be your internet speed, HDD, lack of RAM, low dbcache or other processes that consume resources. Without sharing system specs, it can be anything.
Is it even possible to download the whole blockchain in its current state?
Yes. With modern hardware and fast internet it's possible within a day.
I want it so I can submit blocks I mined.
Considering the questions you're asking, I highly doubt you're mining blocks. What did you do?