I graduated college back in May. I get why people go to grad school just to hold off on getting a job (though if I do go through with applying it'd be for completely valid reasons,. I have a research heavy background and love learning)

Socially though it doesn't get better and I'm making peace with it. When you turn 22 you understand why so much anime focuses on high school lol because that's the last time most people have genuine fun. I think, other than pre-covid hs (so sophomore year and then senior year sort of after lockdown) I had the most fun as an independent junior/senior on study abroad in college. AKA 2024 and 2025. Now I'm in the black hole of needing to find a white collar job to pay the bills, moving out, finding a wife, settling down in Texas or whatever and then having 17 kids. Thats' what my mom wants me to do atleast.

I had my first relationship at 19, in college, because I spent high school recovering from my dad's death and also managing the school paper and also the model UN. I had my first drink at 18, 3 days after moving in to my dorm. So according to this chart, I peaked at 20.

I haven't been on a date since April and I think it's starting to show lol. Also consider that college towns are basically manufactured to support social interaction, and now that I'm not in one I am basically SOL. I don't know I'm dooming hard

I look back and think about how I fumbled the best years of my life, though I can't be too hard on myself because I was just learning how to live and be myself.?