If you really want to expand your social circle might I suggest start choosing your friends wisely…and don’t discriminate based on age.
They say in 5 years you’re the same person with a couple of exceptions. The books you read and the people you hang out with…so choose both wisely.
Find you some good strong men to hang out with. Sure your age and maybe a couple of years older. Also look for some mentors. Go on meetup.com join maybe something like toastmasters, or even one of those junior paramilitary groups like ROTC or Boy Scouts and I mean that seriously.
At Toastmasters not only will you learn how to speak, but you will also learn how to lead by a variety of businessmen and women in your town…but sorry women my advice to him is stick closely to the men. No woman can teach a boy how to become a good man, only a good strong man can really do that. This is and my next suggestion, frats and military are great places to begin to network.
Join a frat when you get to college. A lot of frat guys can be douchebags, but the sad fact is the military and frats are about the closest we have to tribal rituals to mark the advent of a child becoming an adult. In frats and the military you will find camaraderie, but you will also find that good teasing and prodding that will help strengthen not just your outer core, but your inner core.
Don’t just let friends happen. I’ve been down that road far too many times and the truth of the matter is you tend to allow yourself to get sucked into their drama, their issues. Its kind of hard to reach down and help a friend out of a pile of shit without getting a bit of it on yourself.
Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying dump anyone if they run into problems. What I am saying is choose your friends wisely. You meet a guy at a bar one night and he seems cool while he tells you how he’s on probation and should be attending an AA meeting instead of hanging out at a bar with you…pass on taking his number.
Most importantly. Have some fun. Don’t take all this life bullshit too serious. Just find your passion, stick with it man and you will find happiness and the rest (finances, family etc) will all be taken care of.
Congratulations man. You made it through one of the toughest periods of your life. Know that, own that strength that you found to keep going every morning for four fucking years. You are living your story, you are the author and the editor. So make it an interesting one.