The advice I'd give my 18-year-old self.
How to re-think university:
How to re-think university:
You are presented with 2 choices:
1. Go to college - End up without skills, drowning in debt and a meaningless certificate.
2. Don't go to college - End up missing out on social experiences and free time to explore.
Choose your poison.
1. Go to college - End up without skills, drowning in debt and a meaningless certificate.
2. Don't go to college - End up missing out on social experiences and free time to explore.
Choose your poison.
Mental Model: Orthoganol thinking
Go to college vs Don't go to college.
It's a false construct.
It's not a tug of war with 2 opposing sides.
Don't join either end of the rope.
Think outside the box.
Go to the middle of the rope and pull from there.
Go to college vs Don't go to college.
It's a false construct.
It's not a tug of war with 2 opposing sides.
Don't join either end of the rope.
Think outside the box.
Go to the middle of the rope and pull from there.
In hindsight, there was another choice:
3. Campus drop out - Go to college and immediately drop out.
Hang around the campus for 2-4 years.
Build your own curriculum.
The upside of minimal debt AND the social benefits.
3. Campus drop out - Go to college and immediately drop out.
Hang around the campus for 2-4 years.
Build your own curriculum.
The upside of minimal debt AND the social benefits.
When you're not meeting new people, use the free time to stack as many practical skills as you can:
1. Learn to build - Code, design, operations
2. Learn to sell - Marketing, sales, persuasion
H/T @naval
1. Learn to build - Code, design, operations
2. Learn to sell - Marketing, sales, persuasion
H/T @naval
Studying Barbell: Learn the Lindy and the cutting edge.
If you want to learn marketing, I'd study David Ogilvy and TikTok ads.
If you want to learn marketing, I'd study David Ogilvy and TikTok ads.
If you want to explore humanities subjects: Walk on campus and watch any lecture for free.
If they ban you from doing this: Just go on YouTube and watch Harvard's and Stanford's lectures instead.
If they ban you from doing this: Just go on YouTube and watch Harvard's and Stanford's lectures instead.
There's a line from Good Will Hunting:
"You wasted $150,000 on an education you coulda got for $1.50 in late fees at the public library."
It's even better now: There are no late fees on YouTube, podcasts or online courses.
"You wasted $150,000 on an education you coulda got for $1.50 in late fees at the public library."
It's even better now: There are no late fees on YouTube, podcasts or online courses.
Get a part-time job that teaches you to build or sell.
Or get a part-time job that gives you the free time to teach yourself. (E.g. Librarian)
Good news: You'll have more disposable income than your friends.
Or get a part-time job that gives you the free time to teach yourself. (E.g. Librarian)
Good news: You'll have more disposable income than your friends.
Campus Dropout: Set the foundation of your life without the soul-crushing debt
Have fun. Stack skills. Meet people. Avoid debt. Experience life. Follow curiosity. Get paid.
Have fun. Stack skills. Meet people. Avoid debt. Experience life. Follow curiosity. Get paid.
Whilst everyone else is stressing out on final year exams, use stacked-up money to go traveling and experience the world.
What I'd do if I was 18 years old:
1. Go to college
2. Drop out on the 1st day
3. Stack practical skills AND socially explore
4. Get a part-time job
5. Attend any lecture you want
6. Have fun
Get the social AND practical upsides.
1. Go to college
2. Drop out on the 1st day
3. Stack practical skills AND socially explore
4. Get a part-time job
5. Attend any lecture you want
6. Have fun
Get the social AND practical upsides.
I hope a confused 18-year-old finds this useful.
Disclaimer: This obviously doesn't apply to STEM students.
Disclaimer: This obviously doesn't apply to STEM students.
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1. Clouds - Marketing + Mental Models
2. Dirt - Technology + Tactics
100% high signal. 0% spam.
Check it out ---> bit.ly
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