Can I ever live a normal life?

After highschool ended, I took it to the basement and spent my time there for like 6 months. Playing games, movies, beer and whatnot. But anyways, today I recieved a phone call from one of my old best friends. He's been telling about all of his new life changes in college and I couldn't help but notice how his personality have changed. I mean it has changed dramatically specially since we used to relate alot! Things have gone uphill for him I guess, but this made me just wonder "Wow, everyone is advancing in life and all what im doing is wasting mine".

I don't want to doom my life as a failure yet, specially since my parents/friends already regard me as such. Im 17, Im social phobic, zero social interaction skills, never spoke to a girl in my entire life and I can never feel comfortable anywhere outside. Heck, I haven't gone in town for a long time!

I don't know, I wanna change and act normal. I am not comfortable/happy with my current situation. But I don't even know how humans interact anymore because I've lived in isolation for a long time!

Can I lead a normal life OT? I Would really appreciate any advice you could give!

Please don't hate!

Let me get this straight, you're skipping college?

you're 17, its pretty much over already.xTheExploited

LOL! you do realize that sarcasm is hard to read. It's more in how you say things.

but seriously, you're only 17, life will go WAY up and WAY down in the next few years. As bad as life can be in your teens and early 20s, trust me it can make a total 360. Not everyone goes to college at 18 or at all. I'd say set some goals for yourself. Talk to girls online if you're afraid to talk to them in real life. get a job and keep yourself busy with that (while making $$$$). Trust me, you'll see there is no such thing as a "normal life." dont worry about what other people do, just do what makes YOU happy.

well first. drop the attitude. SoSadLife, lololol. no one cares but you. so at least try to be happy. Firebird-5

Thats what I've been doing, im not exaclty sad, I do try and enjoy myself (gaming, movies etc etc) but I know what im doing is not productive.

I never found out what I wanna do in college so I didn't go. Also, why is everybody emphasizing the fact that I am 17. All the people I know have way surpassed me in terms of having a life, people have gone abroad / changed state , moved along. All of the ones I know are my age.

It doesn't matter what my age is, im still far behind because basiclly im still my high school self.

I smell toke jopicNude_Dude

Why would this be a joke topic? Im not even slightly joking about this.

I don't understand how people think.

dude, I can safely say not going to college is pretty much the worst possible choice you can make in your life, no wonder you consider yourself unproductive.

dude, I can safely say not going to college is pretty much the worst possible choice you can make in your life, no wonder you consider yourself unproductive.

parkurtommo

[QUOTE="parkurtommo"]

dude, I can safely say not going to college is pretty much the worst possible choice you can make in your life, no wonder you consider yourself unproductive.

BranKetra

[QUOTE="parkurtommo"]

dude, I can safely say not going to college is pretty much the worst possible choice you can make in your life, no wonder you consider yourself unproductive.

BranKetra

[QUOTE="BranKetra"][QUOTE="parkurtommo"]

dude, I can safely say not going to college is pretty much the worst possible choice you can make in your life, no wonder you consider yourself unproductive.

parkurtommo

[QUOTE="parkurtommo"]

dude, I can safely say not going to college is pretty much the worst possible choice you can make in your life, no wonder you consider yourself unproductive.

BranKetra

Despite my current situation, I've achieved high marks in Highschool. Even got offered scholarships. I lack social skills, but I had a motivation to study. I kinda lost in now though. But I believe I could work around that again simply because of the fact that I wanna change, I don't believe its going to be anytime soon though.

As I said before, I don't wanna be considered a total failure yet, although I do feel like that most of the time.

[QUOTE="BranKetra"][QUOTE="parkurtommo"]

dude, I can safely say not going to college is pretty much the worst possible choice you can make in your life, no wonder you consider yourself unproductive.

parkurtommo

[QUOTE="BranKetra"][QUOTE="parkurtommo"]

dude, I can safely say not going to college is pretty much the worst possible choice you can make in your life, no wonder you consider yourself unproductive.

ExoticAnimal

[QUOTE="BranKetra"][QUOTE="parkurtommo"]

dude, I can safely say not going to college is pretty much the worst possible choice you can make in your life, no wonder you consider yourself unproductive.

parkurtommo

[QUOTE="BranKetra"][QUOTE="parkurtommo"]

dude, I can safely say not going to college is pretty much the worst possible choice you can make in your life, no wonder you consider yourself unproductive.

parkurtommo

[QUOTE="BranKetra"]I disagree. College isn't for everyone.ExoticAnimal

Thats why I didn't go. I could live the social awkwardness again if I had a motivation to do something. But I don't have a slightest IDEA on what I wanna do in my life.

Stop asking "if you can and just go do it, posting here really isn't going to help you.markop2003

Different opinions do shed some light, specially since I cannot ask this irl since I am in no where to trust anyone with such information (Nor am I capable of speaking about this in matter of fact) in real life.

You have to maintain your faculty of effort even if it is some sort of gratuitous exercise like erm... exercise which makes you feel better.ehhwhatever

In reality, everything seems like Sh** to me tbh. I don't like to think that im depressed or anything even though I lost my apetite I wouldsimply force myself to eat. I even started to headbang sometimes just to get out of the sh***y mood. Try to sound happy/satistfied with my life when im talking to friends etc etc.

No one likes a depressed person, I think I have grown in intellect to at least determine that.

It's clear that you're not happy with your situation so you really wanna do everything you can to get yourself out of it. It's not nice when people joke about your problems, but they will always try to get a reaaction out of you. The only thing you can do is laugh along with it. Just keep that in mind. I mean, your username only really attracts that.

I think you just need to get used to your surroundings. Get out of the house, go to the shops, take up a new hobby that requires contact with other people. Self-defense is an extremely important skill so start going to jujitsu or aikido classes. Take up any interest other than gaming, movies and TV.

Get used to talking to people including possibly strangers, without overthinking the interaction. If you do this and take note of that I said at the start of this post, you'll find a minor relief in your social awkwardness. Eventually you'll pick up conversation and even find you have interesting things to say.

Finally, just have a sense of humour and thicken your skin.

[QUOTE="ehhwhatever"]You have to maintain your faculty of effort even if it is some sort of gratuitous exercise like erm... exercise which makes you feel better.SoSadLife

In reality, everything seems like Sh** to me tbh. I don't like to think that im depressed or anything even though I lost my apetite I wouldsimply force myself to eat. I even started to headbang sometimes just to get out of the sh***y mood. Try to sound happy/satistfied with my life when im talking to friends etc etc.

No one likes a depressed person, I think I have grown in intellect to at least determine that.

Well then, those who don't think college is for them are doomed, they're gonna be stuck with simple, sad lives.parkurtommo

Exactly. Kinda regretting my decision to go though I'm about to graduate sometime early next year. Wish I could have waited for some period of time before rushing off to college to major in something that I completely hate.ExoticAnimal

Despite my current situation, I've achieved high marks in Highschool. Even got offered scholarships. I lack social skills, but I had a motivation to study. I kinda lost in now though. But I believe I could work around that again simply because of the fact that I wanna change, I don't believe its going to be anytime soon though.

As I said before, I don't wanna be considered a total failure yet, although I do feel like that most of the time.

SoSadLife

When I was out of high school and not going to college, I got that a lot but I ignored them and stayed focused on my interests. In hindsight, the people saying that were probably doing it for my interests. Tough-love, I guess. Kind of an incompetent way to go about it, though. Btw, most everyone has social skills. If not, you wouldn't be able to speak/write. i.e. you wouldn't even be able to talk online to strangers.

BranKetra

Its not as easy to simply interact with people in my case. Because it has always seemed to me that the only way to gain acceptance and respect from people is by being a jerk. I am constantly living that bad day in my mind in which everything goes wrong and you just wanna stay away from people and touble (Social Anxiety disorder I suppose) which is basiclly losing your personality.

I do act confident, but, lets say if I were to have this convo right in front of you face to face, there is just simply no way in hell I would be able to speak to you other than a simple Hi or hello and maybe a smile from my part which I have come to understand is simply a big turn off and a big sign to stay away.

This is the reason on why I am only confined to a small group of friends.

Asking for advice on how to improve your social skills ON THE INTERNET pretty much confirms your condition is incurable.

Asking for advice on how to improve your social skills ON THE INTERNET pretty much confirms your condition is incurable.

lancea34

Because it has always seemed to me that the only way to gain acceptance and respect from people is by being a jerk.

SoSadLife

I do act confident, but, lets say if I were to have this convo right in front of you face to face, there is just simply no way in hell I would be able to speak to you other than a simple Hi or hello and maybe a smile from my part which I have come to understand is simply a big turn off and a big sign to stay away.

SoSadLife