It’s a strange question, I know, but this is coming from someone who has no social life at all. I have very few friends, and don’t try to make new ones. In High school, I have always been like this (except in my Freshmen year I was a little more social, but that quickly changed and after I became very quiet and very anti-social). I am in college now and I haven’t changed at all since High school really. I’m still very cynical towards many things, constantly thinking of my eventual demise, I see romance and sex as pointless endeavors, I don’t make any effort at all to socialize or go to social gatherings because I see those as a waste of time to me, and I’m always keeping to myself either studying or playing video games. I’m not depressed about the way I am (as edgy as I may sound as a person), but I feel I would be a lot more fulfilled and probably feel a lot better if I at least talked more to people and actually hanged out with friends or something. And maybe have more sex since I don’t really get any of that lol. I just wanted to post this to see what others think, and what it means to them to have a social life and to mingle with others on a regular basis unlike me. Is partying and having a lot of friends fulfilling to you? Is it vital to be around other people more rather than working, studying, or doing something else?
I’d say it’s very important to have a social life everywhere you go.
No matter how much you work and study, you’re not going to be as successful as you could be in life if you don’t network and make connections.
I used to be fairly introverted because of social anxiety, so I understand the place you’re coming from. However, I realized that in every situation, you should make an effort to have a good impression on people and make them like you. You’re just going to have a better quality of life that way.
You don’t have to become some extraverted life of the party, or go out drinking every night to have some sort of quintessential college experience. But you should still put your best foot forward in all your social interactions and have a healthy balance of social/work/study time to become the best version of yourself you can be.
It’s only as important as YOU want/need it to be, so long as you’re aware that you will absolutely have social interactions from time to time. They’re unavoidable. You’ll need to develop strategies to deal with professional and other situations where social skills are necessary. Partying and having a lot of friends sounds like my version of Hades. There’s much to be said to having a small circle of friends who understand and respect you. There’s also a lot to be said for stepping back and being alone when you have to. You do you.
Your social life is only as important or unimportant as it is to you. Nobody can tell you it’s more or less important because it’s YOUR social life. However, in many cases, having a social life does provide a safety net against many difficulties in college and life. It’s a lot easier to ask a friend for help on an assignment than it is a stranger. It’s nice to have someone to complain to when you have a bad day. It’s nice to have someone to chat with in band rehearsal.
Having a small circle of friends can also help you take better care of yourself and do better in school. If you’re going to chill and play video games with a friend tomorrow afternoon, you’ll probably make more of an effort to keep your space tidy. Maybe a couple of acquaintances already have a study group you can join. Maybe you have a friend who does consistently better on tests than you do, but you’re better at working through difficult problems slowly.
I don’t by any means have a huge social life. I have my boyfriend (a relationship that grew out of mutual laundry time and love of science fiction, i.e. we are both quite introverted), suitemates, and a couple of close friends who come over for dinner on occasion. I’m still super close with my parents, who I also consider great friends. I’ve never been to a “college party” (closest thing has been a New Year’s Eve party with my parents’ coworkers at their neighbor’s apartment where the police showed up). I am somewhat social during band and orchestra practice. For me, it’s enough to know that there are people around you who support you and who you want to support.
Unless you’re planning to be a professional hermit, you’ll have to interact with people in your professional life. So you need at least to be comfortable talking and interacting with people, and be perceived as a reasonably easy person to communicate with, and this comes with experience. You like to study? Study people and ways they interact.
And while you’re trying to get this experience, you might just discover you like it, learn something about other people and yourself and start feeling more positive about social life.
If you recognize that you might benefit from becoming more social, that is a big step. Sometimes, you just have to step outside of your comfort zone. If you keep busy, you’ll be thinking less about the inevitability of life (most of us have those thoughts at times - you cannot let it be your guiding principle). Get a part-time job, join a club - anything with some structure that forces you to be with other people. The more you do it, the easier it gets. Both my H and D are introverts and find social interactions a challenge. Baby steps - take it one friend at a time. Yes, it’s vital, for your mental well-being and to be successful in most career paths.
I don’t think the two choices are being a party animal or that professional hermit that @yucca10 mentioned.
As you grow towards adulthood, mom and dad have a different part in your life. You start to rely less on them. It really helps to have people of your own age group in your life.
I’m not suggesting that marriage needs to be on the immediate horizon, or on any horizon. But it’s important to develop both the skill of making new friends, and to start to build a network of people who can be there for you when you need someone.
Life can be hard. It’s so much easier when you have people who will help you get through the rough times, and celebrate for the happy times. You don’t need a room full of friends, but I do think it’s important to cultivate the skill involved in getting to know people and letting them to know you.