>>33341191 (OP)I'm 35 and I used to put a huge emphasis on constantly studying to keep my brain sharp, gain new knowledge and advantages, etc. I'm also terminally addicted to the internet. While it's not a bad idea to always be learning, I ended up missing out on lot in life. I've never had a long-term relationship. I got my driver's license at 30 and that was because my mom forced me to. I'm very isolated and have a few friends I rarely see because I'm simply not interested in socializing with others, or if I do I become bored quickly. In addition I have had substance abuse problems from loneliness and emotional instability. I recently quit drinking alcohol but I've picked up smoking weed again, and it's causing me to lose focus because it's such a good replacement for human interaction. I chain smoke. I'm smoking a cigarette right now.
Of course there are good things that came out of putting too much emphasis on learning. I play multiple instruments. I'm a decent writer, I've studied art and can draw if I feel like it. I landed a SWE role without going to college simply because I was interested in programming and spent a lot of time writing code.
So I guess my point is that, if you're prepared for the grind, you should probably be aware of the risks. I wouldn't spend all your time learning, Make some friends, play some video games to relax. You should absolutely spend less time online but you shouldn't just use the time to study, you should experience life while in you're in your youth.
>>33341511 also makes a good point. While I'm not exactly insane, I do have pretty significant psychological problems that caused me to throw away a lot of opportunities that would probably have made me happier by now.
