I can't relate to anyone my age.

b b b wrote:

He's like a troll, but if not:

Meant to say "likely"...

But also, just noticed the post about "software piracy." Haha, now I know he's a troll. That's a hilarious way to tip everybody off. Touche.

Did you just say:

"And then there is this Honest Answer dude telling you to become interested in something other than running and that running shouldn't be the focus of your life. My personal experience is that people who aren't serious about their running or just plain don't like running say those things."

and then:

"I have to remind myself that there are people on this site that love to make assumptions and jump to conclusions."

???

Some things you just can't make up.

Thanks for the laugh.

I am not a troll but I guess my lifestyle/values are in such a way it makes me seem like either the biggest loser or a troll.

Anyways, I didn't say anything about software piracy. That was candela I think was the name.

To the poster telling me to see a counselor, I am actively pursuing that. I will be seeing someone over break to help me get over BDD.

Thank you for all the posts over night. The majority of them were quite helpful. I want to clear something up, however. I know how to talk to people. I am not social socially inept kid.

It's more the issue that my idea of "fun" does not fit in with society's idea of fun and vice versa. Leading to my relationship issues.

you need to relax dawg. even Newton was an alcoholic and he was a productive citizen to say the least. dont you have a team to associate with? i mean, i know what your saying about all the college "bros", they are annoying, but there are always people at every college who are tolerable, even enjoyable! loosen up, you have to talk to people, they arent going to come to you.

You should think about transferring to a Christian college if you want more of a non-partying atmosphere. Just be warned that people there can be just as insufferable and boring as ordinary college students.

Also, you've got to relax about running. The guys who are the most tightly wound, obsessed runners tend to stagnate and not perform at the end of the year. Meanwhile plenty of elite runners can relax, party early on in the season, and then get serious toward the end. Your obsession with running seems almost like an excuse to avoid having to be social.

Actually to be honest it just sounds like you need to get laid.

I don't think I am going to change. I don't think I should have to. To everyone telling me to lighten up... Who are we if we can't stay true to ourselves?

I'm going to be honest with you, just going to be honest. After your original post I felt sorry for you and was going to be rather encouraging, then you pull out this "eating junk food makes you a bad person" crap. Seriously? Uhh, if you truly feel that way, I think you need to seriously re-evalutate your perspective both on life and how you view others. If you don't want to drink, eat candy, or drink soda, that's fine. No one is forcing you to. People who do do the above things aren't bad people just because they choose to live their lives differently than you though. How would you like it if they all looked down on you for running? Seems rather hypocritical and narrow-minded. A little alcohol is actually likely to be GOOD for health anyway. A little sugar never hurt anyone either (except diabetics, haha).

I can relate to you somewhat though. I used to be pretty uptight as well. Not nearly to your extent, but I was. I still rarely drink, I don't drink soda, don't eat fast food, etc. I eat candy and icecream though, the former every day. I'll run under 4:10 and 8:15 (mile and 3000m) this indoor season unless I get injured, possibly getting close to 4:00 and 8:00. I'll graduate in May with three bachelor's degrees. I pretty much wasted my first two years of college because of a bad attitude and outlook like yours, but since then I've had girlfriends, one-night stands, gone to parties, gone on road trips, watched movies and gone out to dinner with friends, etc etc etc, and my life has been better because of it. I've also had weekend nights where I sat alone in my room and watched documentaries or read books too, and I'm not ashamed about it at all; it's who I am, and learning is something I like to do.

You need to realize several things. 1) As I said before, "normal" people aren't bad people just because they enjoy drinking et al. To me, doing nothing with your life BUT drinking is a waste of time, but it apparently isn't to them. How they choose to live their life shouldn't bother you so much. 2) Not everyone fits your mold of party-loser. There are a lot of people out there with similar (though probably less extreme) views to yours. You just have to keep an open mind and try to be more friendly and get involved in things. Do the things you love (which should include more than just running), and you will probably find people with common interests along the way. 4) There is WAY more to life than running. This is coming from somone who would like to make the Olympic trials and run semi-professionally for a while. I love running, it's a part of my life and always will be, but I love science, politics, movies, skateboarding, hiking, camping, art, traveling, and especially chasing women (not in the derrogatory sense, I just like flirting and being with women). Don't let any one thing rule your life. This might sound stupid, but you should watch "Yes Man." You might not realize all the things you enjoy until you actually start doing different things. I know that sometimes it's hard to find the time with a busy running and school schedule, but you should try and find the time, and don't pass up opportunities when they arise.

Anyway, I think a lot of people have given good advice, so I don't need to say much more. I would STRONGLY recommend you don't listen to people like candela though. You'll end up being a complete fun-killer living a painfully boring life who no one wants to be around. At your age you're still growing and changing a lot as a person and will continue to do so over the next 5-10 years. My advice isn't to change who you are; it's to discover who you are. Right now you're alive but not living. Try to start making small steps such as interacting with more people, even if it's making small talk with a cashier at a gas station while you pay for whatever it is you're buying. You'll learn a lot about people and how to talk with them just from things like that after a while.

Good luck.

candela wrote:

Drinking, premarital sex, -- they are easy to give into but I think participating in these activities leads to a hollower, less fulfilling life.

How would you know if you have never tried it?

Guppy- Good post. I agree with a majority of what you said.

Thank you. I will work on it.

Good luck with your Olympic trials and running career.

Just going to be honest wrote:

I don't think I am going to change. I don't think I should have to. To everyone telling me to lighten up... Who are we if we can't stay true to ourselves?

Being who you are has made you unhappy and alone. If you don't want to be alone you will have to do something different, which doesn't mean changing who you are. It does mean being willing to take chances and do things you might not enjoy instead of sitting around whining about your lazy, sinful peers.

Or not, feel free to ignore everyone's advice.

Guppy, what a great post.

chunky chicken wrote:

How would you know if you have never tried it?

I apologize for the analogy in advance, but...

How would I know murder or stealing don't lead to a more fulfilling life if I haven't tried it?

You don't need to have tried things to know how it will make you feel.

Just going to be honest wrote:

I don't think I am going to change. I don't think I should have to. To everyone telling me to lighten up... Who are we if we can't stay true to ourselves?

I would tell them to: go ye forth & multiply..

I understand how you feel, and it's good to hear from you that you like the way you are, I'm a bit (or a lot I think) like yourself.

But one thing you should change is the way you think of other people. Just because they like having fun and sometimes do crazy things doesn't mean they are immature or stupid, that is the norm for young people, propbably if they were commited to a sport like running, with goals, they would moderate themselves.

Just be yourself, and be happy for those who are having fun their way, and be happy yourself, if you like what you do, you will do great.

sounds like aspergers. you should go to student health or read a book.

Redundancy I like your perspective. I hear what your saying it does sound like I would be happy.

To the following poster, I don't have autism or asbergers. Thanks for your concern however.

Don't apologize for being more ready for the world than the dolts around you. At today's tuition prices, getting effed up, blowing off classes, playing Call of Duty all night, and buying term papers online is the very definition of childish. These types of college "students" don't have the stones to tell their parents what they really learn each semester.

Just going to be honest wrote:

I don't think I am going to change. I don't think I should have to. To everyone telling me to lighten up... Who are we if we can't stay true to ourselves?

Only doing things you are comfortable with is a horrendously sad way to live a life.