In my last year of high school and I must say it has really worn me down. I feel like I’m having an existential crisis. There’s so much on my mind that my family and friends don’t understand.
I’m tired of all of my interests being digital and online. It feels pointless and in the long run I’ll be harming my health. I don’t know how to branch out into interests in the real world.
I’m sick of browsing YouTube and Social Media. So much so when I see terminally online slang I get disgusted and angry at myself for knowing what that means. I just want to be normal and wish I was alive during the 2000s so I could be social.
I interact with my friends mainly through gaming but I’m tired of going on the PS. It feels pointless and that we should be doing things in real life but when I tell them they say I don’t want to spend time with them.
Soon I’ll be graduating and never see most of my classmates again. I fear being lonely forever or stuck with people scared of living. Your 20s are meant to be doing crazy shit right? But everyone around me wants to stay inside all day.
I don’t know I need some soul searching so any tips from those older than me?
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College helped. Lots of opportunities for IRL activities, and exposure to new things and ideas.
And it’s where I met some of my best friends.
If you’re not going to college, don’t let yourself get stuck in a rut of work/home. Find hobbies, groups or clubs. Take up a martial art, or take some art classes. Something you find interesting.
College and University is where you end up making the longest lasting relationships IMO. Feel free to get out there and experience whatever floats your boat. Your real friends would never want to hold you back. Seeing more of the world and different cultures gives you a grounded basis for reality.
I highly recommend figuring out a potential career path and exploring it asap. The sooner you can rule something out the sooner you can move onto something new.
I can’t stress enough that you need to be asking questions and learning every day. People genuinely want to help when they can. Take advantage of free advice.
You’re going to graduated in a year and can make all new friends with new hobbies. I went from being a good student and athlete to partying girls and booze. It’s super easy to find dudes into booze and partying in your teens and early 20s. Now I’m into golf, exercise and being healthier. And I’ve found tons of people into that. If you find real life things to do, you’ll run into real life people doing those things.
You do something with your life!
Go to college and study something difficult that will require dedication and focus (math, physics, engineering)
Go into the military and learn a skill/trade that will transfer into the civilian world once you’re done.
Take on more responsibilities, meet people, say YES when people ask you to do things.
Treat 5s like 9s and treat 9s like 5s.
You’re welcome
Through experiences you believe to have meaning. Pick an idea or philosophy you like and work backward from that. Sort of “write the movie of your life” in reverse.
Time does it for you. The only question is what you choose to do with that time
College and jobs.
That’s the neat part… <Omniman face>
Man it’s wild to hear from someone your age about this. I’m the kind that took that feeling and put it on a flight to NYC with a backpack, a suitcase, a guitar and a couple hundred bucks. Things work out in the end with a little luck, sacrifice and ingenuity.
Others stay in their home towns their whole lives. Choice is yours. Both have upsides and downsides. Not everyone is ready for the open road or relocation.
The best thing is to get a sense of the world, of how it really works, without drowning in it.
Swim hard. Keep swimming.
As others have said, college. Great opportunity to try new things and befriend people who you probably wouldn’t have hung out with in HS.
Sign up for clubs, sports, activities. I ended up randomly joining the fire department and made great friends that way, and had “real stuff” to do. Also was in the student government. Just consider a full reset – high school absolutely doesn’t matter any more once you are out.
Life teaches you who you are. I didn’t go to college and figured out my path. I lost friends, made friends, and changed as a person as I grew up.
Don’t worry, you’ll figure it out.
You won’t settle into the human you’re going to be for the long haul until around your mid to late thirties, generally.
Stopped chasing lofty dreams and started following what I was good at.