<p>I can understand if one is going into a career where networking is essential (business), but for a career that isn't, why would having a social life even be important in college? Many people even believe it to be as important as academics. </p>
<p>What are your thoughts on this?</p>
<p>It’s really some of your last chances to explore your options and learn more about yourself. You might make some life-long friendships. Also, don’t underestimate the benefit of networking even if it isn’t directly related to your career path - you never know when you’ll want to head in another direction, or when someone might have an opportunity you’ve never considered. </p>
<p>The memories created in college are some of the best you may ever have. Once your career, relationships/marriage, and possibly kids come into the picture, you’ll never have that much freedom and care-free fun again (at least, not if you’re responsible and have all of those things going on). Sure, your wedding day and baby’s first steps are great memories, but those aren’t the ones you’ll likely be talking about years later with your friends. </p>
<p>I had no social life in college. I always commuted, and so I made no friends because I’d go to class, go to work, and go home. I truly regret it. I have no memories of those 4 years, no strong friendships/relationships to enjoy now. I have my transcripts with my good grades and an honors thesis that I will never read again.</p>
<p>Also, since I have a degree in psychology it would be silly not to mention that socializing can buffer against various health problems. It helps control stress levels, lowers blood pressure, and provides more resiliency when you do have set backs (such as failing a test, having a sudden health problem, etc.). Just the acts of smiling and laughing have tremendous effects on our health.</p>
<p>I didn’t have much of a social life in college by choice and don’t regret it at all. I was really busy and while I did have friends and go out from time to time I was still a bit of a shut-in. But I am having the time of my life as a new grad, much better than my college years could have been. I no longer have anything I am required to do after 5pm on any day or ever on the weekend, and I actually have money to go do things on a regular basis. I feel like I have much more freedom now than I did in college and I fit in a TON better with the people I am socializing with now. I don’t know whether it’s accurate to say that college social life is overrated like some might say, but I think it is very accurate to say that life post-college social life is vastly underrated.</p>
<p>Well…because it’s fun. Having no social life is IMHO depressing, and you miss out on so many potential memories, friendships, fun…college isn’t just a place for academics, it’s also a place to explore and grow as a person. Things that happen outside the classroom are important too.</p>
<p>B/c socializing in college helps develop your “people skills” - which in the long run, will have more impact on your success in the corporate world than what you learn from a book.</p>
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<p>I don’t plan to get married or start a family, so that situation would not apply to me. I would like to socialize more after I finish my studies and I, if ever, become a professor. But at this time, I am quite happy and content with my solitude and only talking with my professors during office hours. </p>
<p>If you regret not getting involved, what was stopping you from getting involved?</p>
<p>Sure is aspergers in here.</p>
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This is definitely great to hear, Emaheevul07. I sure hope my experiences post-grad are similar to yours. </p>
<p>But was it the work that was keeping you as a recluse or did you prefer being one rather than living the “typical” college life?</p>
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Depressing is a relative term. Personally, I love just staying in my room and immersing myself in books and knowledge. I can definitely live like this for the rest of my life without ever being depressed.</p>
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Yes, that’s what the IMHO is there for. Don’t get me wrong, I’m an introvert at heart. I love reading and staying in my room. But I like having people to share my interests with too, though I know that it varies by person.</p>
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The only people I talk to are my professors, and actually enjoy my conversations with them during office hours rather than bothersome as with most other people. Just last week, I was having a long talk with my professor about the unsolvable mysteries of classical mechanics, such as the Navier-Stokes equations which govern fluid flow and the failures of classical mechanics which led to the quantum revolution. </p>
<p>Of course, much of this was beyond my scope of understanding at this time, but I definitely enjoy my conversations with my professors, which is a first.</p>
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<p>I completely agree. I’m not particularly extroverted, but I always find myself missing the company of my friends over weekends. I spend most of my weekends cramming for tests. It gets depressing without being able to see your friends. </p>
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<p>Yummy :).</p>
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<p>Both, for sure. I didn’t have VERY MUCH choice because of my workload but didn’t care or do anything to change that because I was happy that way. Now that I am out of college I have a group of amazing best friends that I met through work and have a pretty great romantic life, too. I think everything has unfolded exactly as it was supposed to.</p>
<p>Majjestic, if you’re so sure about your lack of social life, why do you keep making threads about it?</p>
<p>If you don’t feel the need to have a social life, don’t have one. That is fine. Most people do feel very sad if they don’t have one. Therefore, they should have one. </p>
<p>/thread. These are getting obnoxious.</p>
<p>Majjestic, for someone who is totally cool with being entirely asocial, why do you start and maintain so many topics on this exact same issue over and over again? That doesn’t sound like someone who is really truly cool with it. </p>
<p>Though I will add that I saw something I’d not seen in your prior posts, which gives me hope: it was how you described enjoying interacting with your professor. This tells me that just maybe you <em>do</em> want and like social interaction but given your unique interests and IQ, you just haven’t found like minded people you can enjoy so you don’t really ‘get’ why others have enjoyed having a social life when you don’t see the point of it?</p>
<p>Do you live in an environment where there aren’t too many people like yourself (I mean people who share your interests and can talk at a level that feels like where you are at?). </p>
<p>I don’t think it’s just about IQ however. As a professor, I’m surrounded in my work by truly highly intellectually gifted and brilliant people (including ones who are famous for it). Even Nobel Laureates enjoy a good laugh and social interaction with a wide range of people. But maybe it’s your IQ <em>in addition to</em> your unique interests that makes it hard for you to find likeminded others.</p>
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That’s quite refreshing to hear, Emaheevul07. Glad life turned around for you. I definitely plan to be more social in graduate school then undergrad.</p>
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<p>I remember the other thread. The simple fact that I may not have the social skills I thought I did to do well in graduate school dawned on me. The fact my career prospects can be on the line because of it worries me. </p>
<p>You’re definitely right about that. I do enjoy talking with my professors and actually look forward to going to office hours. But, unfortunately, I doubt most people would love to talk about theoretical or mathematical physics during every conversation, even professors and intellectuals. </p>
<p>As for your question about my environment, in truth, I have no clue. There may possibly be people that have similar interests in such topics, but I can’t go up to random people and just start talking about physics.</p>
<p>Is this even serious? If you don’t wanna have a social life then thats fine, but why do you care about others social lives?</p>