Discussion Life Feels So Barren After College

[High-Tier Rice]

I'm a first-year student at an American university and low-key worried about my future after college. It could be my Ni, given that I'm an ENTJ, but how isolating life becomes after college worries me. I don't want to be like one of those people who peaked in high school or college, but consistent social interaction from school improves people's mental health. Think about it this way: College monopolizes socialization for young people. You'll always be surrounded by a community of people wherever you walk on campus, which allows you to get that daily social dopamine necessary to live a consistently happy life. Once you graduate college (graduate schools being the exception), friend groups and communities become smaller and more decentralized, and even if you can make friends, everyone has more responsibilities, whether that be taking care of children, work, and other commitments that render consistent social interaction to be complicated. Society expects you to be able to adjust to this radical change quickly without any hits to one's well-being. This is lowkey an underrated social problem that a political party could target to address the mental health crisis in America.

 

[MA_ascender]

life ends at 4 years old

 

[Incognito]

I'm a first-year student at an American university and low-key worried about my future after college. It could be my Ni, given that I'm an ENTJ, but how isolating life becomes after college worries me. I don't want to be like one of those people who peaked in high school or college, but consistent social interaction from school improves people's mental health. Think about it this way: College monopolizes socialization for young people. You'll always be surrounded by a community of people wherever you walk on campus, which allows you to get that daily social dopamine necessary to live a consistently happy life. Once you graduate college (graduate schools being the exception), friend groups and communities become smaller and more decentralized, and even if you can make friends, everyone has more responsibilities, whether that be taking care of children, work, and other commitments that render consistent social interaction to be complicated. Society expects you to be able to adjust to this radical change quickly without any hits to one's well-being. This is lowkey an underrated social problem that a political party could target to address the mental health crisis in America.

I agree, but one can use college time to secure lifelong friends. What is hard would be to make new friends after college. Also, at work, you’ll likely be surrounded by people your age, depending on your job. That said, no politician or government cares about you or my well being, and the fact that you have to adjust to a smaller social circle after school is as important to them as students drowning in debt to finish college. They don’t care and they won’t care. Just prepare yourself for the worst.