Remember how those first few weeks of college were intensely social. You meet a lot of people you'll know the rest of your life. It's a critical time. I recommend:
Social > academic. But they're intertwined, so work hard, and work with others in your core area. Be helpful and smart and humble. Don't worry about your non-core subjects (let others help you).
Don't go nuts with freedom. Go to parties, but drink very little, avoid drugs, don't get caught up in sex. It's fun, but save it for later.
Don't go back home. Don't have a girlfriend back home. Don't have a girlfriend at all, this is a time for lots and lots of friends.
Go to parties, but drink very little, avoid drugs, don't get caught up in sex. It's fun, but save it for later. Don't have a girlfriend at all, this is a time for lots and lots of friends.
I personally think the opposite. It's your 20s, enjoy it while it lasts.
Exactly, I used to think and practice like the OP did. You find that all your friends start transitioning into couple things and you are a workaholic who doesn't have any interests outside of work. Sure, that is fun and it will be exciting to spend all your time solving the nth problem in your work BUT life is not just that. Life is experiencing everything, yeah all that yada yada about doing it in moderation holds obviously but still. You can't just live your entire life, hope to be interesting to a wide range of people encounter adventures if you isolate yourself and not do any of this!
I'd rather live with the regret of 'Oh I wish I hadn't done this/that/the other' than being 50 and looking back on my life regretting I didn't enjoy myself more.
Wait, GP is talking just about the first few weeks of college right?
If so, I can see some truth to this. I can't think of anytime in your life you'll ever again not only have no commitments, but also be surrounded by so many people who haven't yet formed (social) relationships. Makes sense to 100% focus on meeting people and building friendships -- it only gets harder going forward.
Of course being in a relationship and having other friends are not incompatible, but the time commitment, reordering of priorities, strain on your mental/physical/pecuniary resources will almost inevitably harm your relationships with other friends.
Not to mention being in a relationship with someone can lead to profound changes in a person's character, and those changes may not gel with existing friends...
Possibly one of my biggest regrets. I don't know that things would have worked out better otherwise, but objectively speaking it was one of my most foolish mistakes.
Social > academic. But they're intertwined, so work hard, and work with others in your core area. Be helpful and smart and humble. Don't worry about your non-core subjects (let others help you).
Don't go nuts with freedom. Go to parties, but drink very little, avoid drugs, don't get caught up in sex. It's fun, but save it for later.
Don't go back home. Don't have a girlfriend back home. Don't have a girlfriend at all, this is a time for lots and lots of friends.
Avoid toxic people.