Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

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

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

31–40 of 100 posts

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

#31

Post by culley »

neodude wrote: post #14
izaidi wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's good to hear -- I ran a paper in college and it was an awesome experience. This is such a hugely transformational period in publishing that knowing the ins and outs of the business makes you aware of how many opportunities there are right now. My current startup is intended to help small magazines and campus publications establish an online presence and being able to draw on personal experience makes me way mo…

Interesting - it is definitely an awesome time to be in publishing. I redid (as all freshmen tend to do) the paper's website, which was a huge learning experience. A lot of publications seem to have problems getting themselves online - collegepublisher is the witness. So you seem to be in a viable area. Most of the misery was from schoolwork, which is improving slowly. The social side is at a standstill, because I re…

Drinking Socializing

If you learn nothing else, learn that.

It is perfectly possible to go to a kegger and drink water all night and still have a good time meeting interesting people and talking to them about interesting things.

Find those interesting people. Keep looking at different parties until you do.

I still keep in close contact with friends I met at University, and would not trade that experience for the world.

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

#32

Post by menloparkbum »

wumi wrote: post #28
menloparkbum wrote: post #23

Go out with as many women as possible. Once you join the startup life the women will be few and far between.

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.

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

#33

Post by tialys »

Wow... you sound just like me. I have the same issues with working, and the same desire to work in startups or similar. Honestly, I think it helps a lot to know that I'm not alone.

I actually just got this account as I only discovered this site a few days ago (and I love it!) so I don't know if there is an easy way to get in contact with you, but I think it would be interesting to get your name and maybe an AIM screen name or the like.

My advice? Make friends, and do whatever whenever while you can. Also, I have an internship in a big business now, and I hate it. It's boring, slow and totally uninteresting. Still, I'm glad I did it. It's something worth experiencing and it's given me new motivation to get good at something and start a business. Find out what you want, and don't stop until you get it -- even if you hate it, the experience is good.

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

#34

Post by culley »

neodude wrote: post #17
slackerIII wrote: post #12

If you want to do the startup thing, notice people who are smart and more ambitious than you and spend your time hanging around with them. If you want to have your pick of a quality corporate job and find your excitement elsewhere, build something tangible you can point to during an interview. It doesn't have to be complicated, it just has to indicate that you can accomplish something on your own. Remember that becom…

I don't think I'd be able to survive corporate. I had a summer job doing IT-ish things in a small accountancy a couple years ago, at the end of the two months I was about to kill myself from the boredom and monotony. That expert advice is valuable - thank you. I'm currently interested in programming language theory (prompted by steve yegge), we'll see where that takes me. I'm trying hard with the friends thing, but t…

to be blunt...

Pull your head out of your ass.

The world works as a social organization.

You don't have to sacrifice beliefs, but you do have to actually socialize.

And yes, that does mean going to parties and learning how they work just like you go to class and learn how to do homework.

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

#35

Post by neodude »

culley wrote: post #34
neodude wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think I'd be able to survive corporate. I had a summer job doing IT-ish things in a small accountancy a couple years ago, at the end of the two months I was about to kill myself from the boredom and monotony. That expert advice is valuable - thank you. I'm currently interested in programming language theory (prompted by steve yegge), we'll see where that takes me. I'm trying hard with the friends thing, but t…

to be blunt... Pull your head out of your ass. The world works as a social organization. You don't have to sacrifice beliefs, but you do have to actually socialize. And yes, that does mean going to parties and learning how they work just like you go to class and learn how to do homework.

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.

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

#36

Post by Spyckie »

College, after sophomore year, tends to be less about the classes and more about the people. Choose as many classes as you can solely based on the professor's character/infamy. Those people will inspire you and help you choose what is interesting.

Also, try to see as much of the world as possible, and this doesn't just mean traveling. I'm thinking about people like this person at TED: http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/233 - try to find these people and get connected with what they're doing.

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

#37

Post by Prrometheus »

krschultz wrote: post #25
wallflower wrote: post #4

#1 regret (which I will probably make up, job quitting possibilities) - Not going abroad - Doesn't necessarily mean studying abroad but traveling for month+ outside your home country during inter-school summer vacations

Oops, I meant to give this a +1 and hit the down vote, but it is definitely the most rewarding experience I had until I joined a startup. Travel gives you perspective. Also, spend time making friends with people in many other majors, the wider your horizons the more interesting things become.

I wasn't going to give it an upvote, but did for you. If one more person will do the same, it'll be +1 like you wanted.

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

#38

Post by culley »

sah wrote: post #30

Travel while you can do it cheaply. Take as many electives as far outside your majors as you possibly can without graduating later; college is better at giving you exposure than skills anyway. Make friends that you want to have parties with. Meet people who do things you know nothing about; you'll have fewer chances to do that in the working world. Drop out if you know you have better things to do with your time, and…

btw - Cheap Travel is just that...

I spent 6 weeks in Scotland for As a student, you are used to skipping meals, sleeping on couches and sharing a room in Hostels.

When you get older, those things are all out and everything gets much much more expensive (my most recent vacation to SF cost me $2k for a week).

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

#39

Post by culley »

neodude wrote: post #35
culley wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

to be blunt... Pull your head out of your ass. The world works as a social organization. You don't have to sacrifice beliefs, but you do have to actually socialize. And yes, that does mean going to parties and learning how they work just like you go to class and learn how to do homework.

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...

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

#40

Post by tialys »

culley wrote: post #38
sah wrote: post #30

Travel while you can do it cheaply. Take as many electives as far outside your majors as you possibly can without graduating later; college is better at giving you exposure than skills anyway. Make friends that you want to have parties with. Meet people who do things you know nothing about; you'll have fewer chances to do that in the working world. Drop out if you know you have better things to do with your time, and…

btw - Cheap Travel is just that... I spent 6 weeks in Scotland for As a student, you are used to skipping meals, sleeping on couches and sharing a room in Hostels. When you get older, those things are all out and everything gets much much more expensive (my most recent vacation to SF cost me $2k for a week).

Can you type up some suggestions/things you did?
Post reply on HN