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Ask HN: What should I try to do while still in college?

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Re: Ask HN: What should I try to do while still in college?

#51

Post by neodude »

culley wrote: post #39
neodude wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're right. I'm also depicting the social organization - and my resistance towards it - in rather polarizing terms. A large part of the problem is choosing socializing over doing something fun/interesting, which I've learnt, only a while ago, that you gotta do.

And your assumption that socializing isn't fun or interesting...

Not sure. Probably because I tried a few times and was bored - and just wanted to get back and do stuff.

But I get your point. Thank you.

Re: Ask HN: What should I try to do while still in college?

#52

Post by SCVirus »

Prrometheus wrote: post #48
SCVirus wrote: post #45

Smoke weed (or do tantric yoga) until you become conscious on a new level (you'll know when you have, if you have difficulties smoke more stronger weed, hash, oil, use a vapourizer or take it orally after extracting it with fat (bake Take mush (of the psilocybin variety) until you understand the nature of the change in consciousness created by the mary jane. (you can try mescaline anytime after mush if you so wish, i…

I'm not going to advocate substance abuse, but if you are going to do it then you might as well do it in college with experienced friends looking out for you. That said, I find people have different biological reactions that determine if they will enjoy a particular chemical experience. If you have no interest in it or don't enjoy it, then don't worry about it. If you do have an interest in it, then do it responsibly…

Psychedelics are counter-addictive. They are only abused by those who have severe problems with generally 'abusing' anything that makes them feel good (and psychedelics don't 'make you feel good', they simply remove the mental barriers allowing you to feel that way if you so choose). All substances mentioned with the exception of LSD exist in nature, DMT is produced in the human brain and is responsible for near death experiences, and possibly dreams (and is the most powerful psychedelic listed; claims that psychedelia is unnatural are unfounded). LSD is highly similar to LSA (which occurs naturally). There are not issues with 'biological reactions' with these substances, except issues that cause mush to be far more potent on some individuals (start with a .25 gram dose [will do basically nothing in 99% of people, but will let you know if you are hypersensitive]). The only long term 'issues' people develop from long term psychedelic use, are creations of their own minds. When mental barriers are broken down, when you /truely/ have control of your mind-- its just like having root access, do something wrong and you might fuck something up. Do whats natural, nothing you see, think or feel on psychedelics is anything but natural.

Re: Ask HN: What should I try to do while still in college?

#53

Post by [deleted] »

SCVirus wrote: post #52
Prrometheus wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not going to advocate substance abuse, but if you are going to do it then you might as well do it in college with experienced friends looking out for you. That said, I find people have different biological reactions that determine if they will enjoy a particular chemical experience. If you have no interest in it or don't enjoy it, then don't worry about it. If you do have an interest in it, then do it responsibly…

Psychedelics are counter-addictive. They are only abused by those who have severe problems with generally 'abusing' anything that makes them feel good (and psychedelics don't 'make you feel good', they simply remove the mental barriers allowing you to feel that way if you so choose). All substances mentioned with the exception of LSD exist in nature, DMT is produced in the human brain and is responsible for near deat…

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: What should I try to do while still in college?

#54

Post by neodude »

SCVirus wrote: post #52
Prrometheus wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not going to advocate substance abuse, but if you are going to do it then you might as well do it in college with experienced friends looking out for you. That said, I find people have different biological reactions that determine if they will enjoy a particular chemical experience. If you have no interest in it or don't enjoy it, then don't worry about it. If you do have an interest in it, then do it responsibly…

Psychedelics are counter-addictive. They are only abused by those who have severe problems with generally 'abusing' anything that makes them feel good (and psychedelics don't 'make you feel good', they simply remove the mental barriers allowing you to feel that way if you so choose). All substances mentioned with the exception of LSD exist in nature, DMT is produced in the human brain and is responsible for near deat…

This is a very good case for trying something.

Re: Ask HN: What should I try to do while still in college?

#55

Post by mechanical_fish »

menloparkbum wrote: post #32
wumi wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nevertheless, I'm quite bored, by the vapid partying (which I refuse to take part in - decimating my social life) Doesn't seem like he may be too interested in this.

You don't have to do jell-o shots to go out on dates or have a social life.

Amen. Do not go to the vapid parties, but do go to parties. Learn to throw the parties yourself if you have to. They don't have to be big at first -- a lot of the best parties I've known had less than a dozen people.

I assure you that somewhere, somehow, there are groups of non-vapid people on or near your campus. Find them. Try clubs of all sorts, film societies, drama clubs (cast or crew!), amateur sports, music groups, anime or SF conventions... whatever. Just find them.

Re: Ask HN: What should I try to do while still in college?

#56

Post by Prrometheus »

SCVirus wrote: post #52
Prrometheus wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not going to advocate substance abuse, but if you are going to do it then you might as well do it in college with experienced friends looking out for you. That said, I find people have different biological reactions that determine if they will enjoy a particular chemical experience. If you have no interest in it or don't enjoy it, then don't worry about it. If you do have an interest in it, then do it responsibly…

Psychedelics are counter-addictive. They are only abused by those who have severe problems with generally 'abusing' anything that makes them feel good (and psychedelics don't 'make you feel good', they simply remove the mental barriers allowing you to feel that way if you so choose). All substances mentioned with the exception of LSD exist in nature, DMT is produced in the human brain and is responsible for near deat…

I've heard of people having issues with DMT and LSD, of the four you mentioned, though they might have been dosage issues.

Weed is the only one of the four you mentioned that I would have no trouble with doing if it were presented to me, and DMT is the only one that I would definitely not do without more research.

Re: Ask HN: What should I try to do while still in college?

#57

Post by SCVirus »

neodude wrote: post #54
SCVirus wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Psychedelics are counter-addictive. They are only abused by those who have severe problems with generally 'abusing' anything that makes them feel good (and psychedelics don't 'make you feel good', they simply remove the mental barriers allowing you to feel that way if you so choose). All substances mentioned with the exception of LSD exist in nature, DMT is produced in the human brain and is responsible for near deat…

This is a very good case for trying something.

Thank you. If you do choose to undertake this journey, here are some final guiding words of wisdom which may help you on your journey:

Hedonism is best served occasionally.

Go with the flow atleast until you understand it.

Some voices are answers, others are questions.

All things are relative.

All things are subjective.

It is only possible to have a bad trip if you convince yourself/believe/decide you are having a bad trip.

Take _nothing_ for granted or as absolute.

Words are unreliable.

Do not be afraid to depreciate the mental monologue.

Do not be afraid.

Re: Ask HN: What should I try to do while still in college?

#58

Post by SCVirus »

Prrometheus wrote: post #56
SCVirus wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Psychedelics are counter-addictive. They are only abused by those who have severe problems with generally 'abusing' anything that makes them feel good (and psychedelics don't 'make you feel good', they simply remove the mental barriers allowing you to feel that way if you so choose). All substances mentioned with the exception of LSD exist in nature, DMT is produced in the human brain and is responsible for near deat…

I've heard of people having issues with DMT and LSD, of the four you mentioned, though they might have been dosage issues. Weed is the only one of the four you mentioned that I would have no trouble with doing if it were presented to me, and DMT is the only one that I would definitely not do without more research.

And yet you do DMT everytime you sleep (most likely), and certainly it is released during near death experiences. Unlike all of the other substances mentioned it is is produced by the human brain, and is the cause of many natural brain states.

(I do not, of course, recommend anyone go out and try DMT without first experiencing other psychedelics in the order given, or in fact without doing the research.)

I highly recommend you do that research.

http://erowid.org/

http://wikipedia.org/

Psychedelic use is not to be taken lightly. It is not a form of recreation (shouldn't be), it is a method of deep introspection, of breaking down mental barriers, a journey within yourself (among other things which really cannot be explained until you have reached the state of understanding that usually occurs with mush or mescaline use. This too is not an absolute, but is common to most peoples 'route' in this journey.)

Use of entheogens is, of course, not the only route to these states, tantric yoga can perform the same function as cannabis, and years (or decades) of deep meditation can take replace the use of mush, LSD and DMT.

Re: Ask HN: What should I try to do while still in college?

#59

Post by mechanical_fish »

Ask around. Find the professors who are the best at teaching Introduction to X (where X is any field) and take their classes. The teacher is more important than the subject matter, almost every time.

Useful values of X: statistics, biology (esp. molecular biology), linguistics, statistics (I mention it twice because it's twice as important), economics, first-year chemistry, physics. Skip organic chemistry unless you want to be an M.D.

Keep practicing the essay writing. If you can get good at that, or at least comfortable with it, it's better than a second major.

Which brings me to my radical suggestion: Drop the double major. Double majors are a waste of valuable time: You could be taking a sprinkling of intro and second-year classes in a bunch of different fields -- including at least one class from every excellent prof on campus -- but instead you're spending time taking boring classes from bad lecturers just to check off boxes for your second major, which will not matter to anyone, ever. [1]

(My school made me have a minor. I minored in history, which was a nice change of pace from physics, and was enjoyable, and made me practice all that writing, and I found an excellent history prof and took three of her classes. All of which was good. And yet... if I hadn't been forced to take the fourth history class, which was required of all history minors, I could have done the econ class instead, from the really good econ professor who was recommended to me. I regret missing that econ class to this day.)

Make a choice: e.g. if you like to program, are leaning toward startups, are aceing CS classes, and are not feeling "clever enough for pure math", major in CS -- that's where the marketability is, anyway. Then dump the math major -- just add math classes to taste. Then, add other classes to taste. If, as you say, you're "quite bored", you need to try something different. Mix it up a little. Archaeology. Japanese. Music Theory 101. Accounting. Something.

[1] There are only two times that double majors make any sense. One is if you're a premed. Another is if you're so hopelessly fascinated by the classes in your second field that as a senior you discover that you've accidentally come within two credits of your second major -- might as well finish it off.

Re: Ask HN: What should I try to do while still in college?

#60

Post by PStamatiou »

Start a website or blog. It is the single best decision I have done in the last decade. I have found many interesting people online that are interested in the same things as me and many interesting people have found me through it.

And yes, go out with as many women as possible too. I made the mistake of going to an all-male college.. well just about (~30% female at Georgia Tech).

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