I truly appreciate all of the replies to this post considering how long it is. I just wish it weren't so long so that I could get alot of different perspectives from people who have also been in this situation.

[ QUOTE ]
Hopefully when I'm in my mid-twenties I'll be having a lot more fun than my current buddies who are partying it up but will be working 9-5's in a couple years. For them these are the best years of their lives but for me they are just me paying my dues before I get to really enjoy it. It's all about utility. Decide what makes you happier. I know hitting 7 figures is worth more to me than getting wasted, although it's a lot closer than I make it out to be.

[/ QUOTE ]
This is a great point and one that I agreed with as well, but one of the things I worry about with this is taht what if when you make that money, you don't have many close friends to party it up with because you spent so much time trying to pursue money. For all I know though, going to vegas its probably very possible to meet other young guys our age who are doing the same thing as us. I could definitely relate to someone like that.

[ QUOTE ]
If you plan to work an office job, I would live it up now. But if your future involves you being your own boss and making your own hours, I would work hard now to secure that. But it's really a decision only you can make.

[/ QUOTE ]
Id just like to say you just hit the nail right on the head. My whole life ever since I had my first job, I had made up my mind that I do NOT want to work a 9 to 5, this is my life time goal, which is why I felt at this age, I really need to be working towards this. I did not want to be working my whole life, and preferrably I did not want to be working past 30 (but this would take alot of work).

[ QUOTE ]
As for your social life right now. I will tell you that you will be lucky to know more than one of them ten years from now. It is foolish to design your life around other people. I did fall into that trap before, and it set me back quite a bit.


[/ QUOTE ]
This was one of the points I also was making about when I graduate, i'm probably going to be moving on and doing my own thing anyway.

[ QUOTE ]
Like vexvelour said, most people reach a stage where just partying starts to lose its appeal. You come across as a very motivated individual and you might want to look for other people around you with the same kinds of values and goals. Those probably aren't the party animals.

[/ QUOTE ]
Right, but this confuses me since you are saying I should not neglect hanging around them. I'd hate 2-3 years from now if I spent all this time partying with people at school, making friendships and then after college I don't get to see any of them anymore. I like my friends alot but some of them don't have the same views on life as me so I don't really know if we'd be friends after school.. we don't have the same goals in life. They arent thinking about the stuff im thinking about, all they are thinking about is just getting at least a C in their courses and going out drinking every night. I did this my first 2 years, it was fun but then I got tired of it.

[ QUOTE ]
You're giving yourself the kind of start that leads to a successful career. I don't know how much you're making at poker, but it's very unlikely to be very much compared to what you will be making a few years from now. Looking back on this time in your life, you'll find the money was less important than you thought and the friendships were more important. Play as much as you like for enjoyment, but don't neglect your social life on account of poker. The friendships will become a lot more valuable than the cash.

[/ QUOTE ]
Will the friendships be even more important though if I move and lose contact with them? I lost some of my best friends when going off to college because I just was never around them, the time we spent hanging out became less and less because I went off to college and they didnt even graduate high school so that was the end of the line for them. I'd love to say that you're right and that friendships are more important but i worry i might regret not taking my futuer more seriously when I had a good opportunity. The opportunity I have right now on poker is very good, i'm making like double my mother at this rate so I do have a good amount to invest with. But it takes a toll on the time spent with my friends on weekends like when they go out to parties. But ive attempted this year to go out with them and get back into that whole thing but I remember thinking to myself when getting back home that night that my time may have been more productive researching real estate/stocks/mutual funds, or playing poker.