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/sci/ - Science & Math

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10992972 No.10992972 [Reply] [Original]

Be honest /sci/, is there any hope of actually making it in an intellectual pursuit when you've squandered your youth on stupid shit and spent countless hours on activities such as 4chan, pointless youtube videos, porn and videogames?

I'm 24 and I'm starting to think no matter how hard I try i'm simply too far behind to get to the level of the kids who actually developed good habits and studied from a young age. I've stopped most of these harmful activities and significantly cut back on the remaining few in recent years but i still feel like my brain is damaged. I feel like I can't think as well as the others in so many different ways that would be too long to articulate efficiently here.

>> No.10992995

>>10992972
You can with some difficulty, but you gotta consider your place in society. Are you a homeowner?

>> No.10992996

>>10992972
one thing we can be certain about is that if you don’t believe in yourself you absolutely will not make it. if you do, at least you might. so, if you really want this, start there.

what are you actually expecting out of this pursuit? to be Einstein or some titan of a field? extremely unlikely to impossible. to find fulfilling, novel work? defiantly possible. to contribute positively to the world or some field? totally.

yolo dude, go get it

>> No.10993000

>>10992995
No I live with my parents and invest nearly probably close to 90% of my income because I want to make it financially if I can't make it intellectually or in some other way. My finances are the primary thing I have going for me right now.

>> No.10993003

>>10993000
do you have lots of free time?

>> No.10993010

>>10992996
I try to believe in myself but I'm trying to find some ways to fight off the self-doubts, hopefully the responses to this thread can help me tonight.

>>10993003
Not really after work and going to the gym I don't have much but I know that's just a cope because there are people with busier schedules finding the time to work towards their personal goals and things most important to them.

>> No.10993029

>>10993010
are you not in school? planning on returning?

what intellectual pursuit are you interested in anyway?

>> No.10993037

IQ is irrelevant beyond 100
You don't have to be a prodigy to win a fields medal
Magic is real
Mathematics is not a young man's game
Porn doesn't fuck your brain
4chan is a website worth frequenting

>> No.10993042

>>10993037
Is this, dare I say, baste?

>> No.10993048

>>10993037
>magic is real
absolutely basado

>> No.10993051

>>10992972
>Squandered your youth
>24
Pick your head up bro, you could be 30 and still not have even peaked intellectually (in terms of ability to learn). You can read, you can write, now start working towards a goal. Set it low, because when you pass by how much you've learned, you'll realize how much you can gain in so little time. If you do keep believing that you're entirely fucked, then you'll be 40 years old with a much worse situation on your hands. Learning to code or engineer shit is a good start, so work towards that if you're so inclined. If you're more scientific, go with biology. It's interesting and rewarding. You got this bro, I believe in you.

>> No.10993053
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10993053

>>10993037
>Magic is real
I knew it

>> No.10993055

>>10993037
Hold up what

>> No.10993056

>>10993029
No I was considering going back to school, I only went for a semester and felt I was simply unprepared at that time.

>>10993051
Thank you anon but do you have any empirical (or even some anecdotal) evidence I should read through to inspire myself and stop the self-doubting?

>> No.10993062

>>10993056
Sure, I have a condition which I am not willing to disclose, but let's just say it greatly hinders my ability to learn. Anyways, after being out of school for about a year or so and being a grade behind, I started to get back into the process of learning, and quickly surpassed my expectations of what I could learn and how fast I could learn it. Calculus took me one and a half months to master. I am currently struggling with my condition again right now, but I hope this helps you feel a bit better bro. Even if you injected glue directly into your frontal lobe I think you could still have a fighting chance of being a good learner.

>> No.10993068

>>10993062
Thank you for sharing that. Maybe I need to read those books sometimes suggested on here that actually "teach" you how to learn. I had been meaning to read them.

>> No.10993069

>>10993068
https://www.sciencealert.com/this-is-the-age-you-reach-peak-intelligence-according-to-science
Here's your empirical proof btw. I would also recommend communicating your situation to the professor to get better accommodations and things like that. One last thing; never go on 4chins for good advice. I'm being generous but it's a dangerous game you play. Wish you luck, friend.

>> No.10993070

>>10993056
what is your long term goal anon? what is the intellectual pursuit? what are you really wanting to do/work towards?

this needs to be well defined. and start preparing for school

>> No.10993072

>>10993037
>4chan is a website worth frequenting

>> No.10993073

>>10993070
by the way, I’m also 24 and I’m almost halfway through a maths degree w/ cs minor and returning to school. I don’t give a shit about much but I’d like to spend my limited time doing stuff I’m actually interested in. I don’t care if I’m older or slower, I’m going to continue to give it what I have regardless. fuck em anon. make the decision and don’t look back. it’s better to fall flat on your face after giving it your all than it is to sit there and wonder.

>> No.10993075
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10993075

>>10992972
Yes, OP, it's risky possible. It will be tough, but you'll see progress soon. You'll also see yourself become smarter than some of your peers, because some have given up long ago.
It will take time though, and you will have self doubt. Ignore, continue, succeed.

>> No.10993080

>>10993069
>>10993073
>>10993075
Thank you anons i'm going to keep working at it

>> No.10993347

God this thread is based

>> No.10994007
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10994007

>>10993037
>Magic is real
U talking about computers?
>Porn isn't harmful
Even if it wasn't harmful, you should try to show some self control and not use it
>4chan is a website worth frequenting
It truly is. If you know what bullshit to avoid and don't let it take up all of your time. There are many things you can learn here, but you must be careful or you will begin to get corrupted, develop a hive mind where you think its true because muh smart people on 4chins said it, etc.

>> No.10994010
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10994010

>>10993062
Beautiful.

>> No.10994081

>>10993347
baste and redpilled

>> No.10995588

>>10993056
Don't rely on inspiration and just start. People say this and you'll make a billion excuses as to why you can't just start, but quit the analysis and just do it. If you just crack down and choose one path, you'll be in a better place by working at it for 6 months rather than trying to analyse every possible path for 6 months, only to realise you're in an even deeper hole from the time you've wasted. Commit to something for a while (not just for the first couple weeks when enthusiasm is high) and if you're certain you don't like it after a while then commit to something else. Just make sure not to change your mind too often because that's just another way to stagnate.

>> No.10995600

>>10992972
Don't worry about it and just try instead. You only have the one life.

>> No.10995607

>>10993069
OP is incredibly lucky with this thread, somehow the replies are actually good so far

>> No.10995615

>>10992972
Half the people I went to undergrad with started their physics degrees when they were 24+ years old. We started at a shitty local state school. Three of them are now doing PhD programs at UCLA.

There's no reason you can't get your shit together right now and have a PhD in a scientific discipline by the time you're 33.

>> No.10995664

>>10995615
There's a guy in my Calc III class who's at least 65 years old. I guess it's truly never too late.

>> No.10995684

>>10993037
Based