Assistants - how do you afford to live?

I’m going into my last semester of college and in the recruitment process for a couple agency mailrooms ranging from around $20-23/hr ($40-45k salary give or take). I currently live in an expensive city and have lived in LA previously so I’m well aware of the cost of living. To my knowledge most people don’t have the time (nor mental power lol) to pick up side gigs while working a desk so how do you make it work without help from parents? I know thats the norm but I won’t be in that position unfortunately. I am moderately confident that I will get an offer but worried I just won’t be able to make it work financially, disregarding the fact that there really isn’t a higher paying alternative.

I’m sure variations of this has been made but specifically looking for advice from mailroom/assistants at agencies in the last couple years.