I'm graduating from UChicago in around 60 days, and I've been thinking about what I've learned these past four years. I figured I'd write it all down while it's still fresh.

This isn't universal advice. It's specifically for people like me (or who want to be like me). High-agency, motivated types who hate having free time.[1] People who'd rather risk making mistakes than risk missing out, who want to control more than they initially think they can, and who are willing to go all-in relatively quickly. If you're reading Ben Kuhn and Alexey Guzey or have ever heard of the Reverend Thomas Bayes, you're probably one of us.

So here's at least some of what I've figured out. Take what's useful, leave what isn't — maybe do the opposite of everything I've said.

Mindset and Personal Growth
- Find your mission
- Recognize that you can always be better
- [...]

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Outline:

(03:23) Mindset and Personal Growth

(03:27) Find your mission

(04:27) Recognize that you can always be better

(04:54) Make more mistakes

(05:23) Things only get done to the extent that you want them to get done

(06:14) There are no adults

(06:37) Deadlines are mostly fake

(07:26) Put yourself in positions where youll be lucky

(08:09) Luck favors the prepared

(08:45) Test your fit at lots of things

(09:26) Do side projects

(10:20) Get good at introspecting

(11:00) Be honest

(11:31) Put your money where your mouth is

(12:03) Interpret others charitably

(12:32) Be the kind of person others can come to for help

(13:18) Productivity and Focus

(13:22) Go to bed early

(13:52) Brick your phone

(14:21) The optimal amount of slack time is not zero, but its close to zero

(15:19) If you arent getting work done, pick up your shit and go somewhere else

(15:45) Dont take your phone to the places youre studying

(16:08) Do not try to do more than one important thing at once

(16:31) Offload difficult things to automations, habits, or other people

(16:55) Make your bed

(17:18) If it takes less than 5 minutes, do it now

(17:44) The floor is actually way lower than you think

(18:07) Planning and Goal Setting

(18:11) Make sure your goals are falsifiable

(19:11) Credibly pre-commit to things you care about getting done

(19:41) Track your progress

(20:09) Make a 5-year plan google doc

(20:31) Consider graduating early

(21:00) Relationships and Community

(21:04) Build your own community

(21:30) Fall in love at least once

(22:09) If you arent happy and excited and exciting single, you wont be happy or excited or exciting in a relationship

(22:54) Friends are people you can talk to for hours

(23:26) Throw parties

(24:07) Hang out with people who are better than you at the things you care about

(24:36) Professors are people. You can just make friends with them

(25:10) Academic Success

(25:14) Go to office hours

(25:41) Be careful how you use AI

(26:13) Read things, everywhere

(27:16) Dont be afraid to skip the boring parts

(27:43) Learn how to read quickly

(28:16) Write things

(28:54) Read widely based on curiosity, not just relevance

(29:32) Have an easy way to capture ideas

(29:53) Health and Lifestyle

(29:57) Go to the gym

(30:25) The only place to work yourself to failure is the gym

(30:59) If something isnt making your life better, change it

(31:29) Leave campus

The original text contained 37 footnotes which were omitted from this narration.

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First published:
April 12th, 2025

Source:
https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/9Kq2JRqmJHnzckxKn/college-advice-for-people-like-me

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Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.

“College Advice For People Like Me” by henryj 32:25 Share

LessWrong (30+ Karma)

What is your mission in life?

Can you always improve yourself?

Why should you make more mistakes?

How much do you really want things to get done?

Who are the real adults?

Are deadlines really that important?

How can you increase your luck?

Why should you test different paths?

What are the benefits of side projects?

How can you improve your introspection?

Why is honesty crucial?

What does it mean to put your money where your mouth is?

How can you interpret others charitably?

Why should you be a reliable person?

Why is going to bed early important?

How can you minimize distractions?

What is the optimal amount of slack time?

When should you change your environment?

Why should you avoid multitasking?

How can you automate tasks?

What are the benefits of making your bed?

How low can you set your standards?

Why should your goals be falsifiable?

How can you pre-commit to important tasks?

Why should you track your progress?

Should you consider graduating early?

How can you build your own community?

Why should you fall in love?

How can you be a better single person?

What makes a good friend?

Why should you throw parties?

How can you benefit from hanging out with better people?

Why should you befriend your professors?

Why are office hours important?

How should you use AI?

Why should you read widely?

How can you read more efficiently?

What are the benefits of writing?

How can you capture ideas easily?

Why should you go to the gym?

When is it okay to push yourself to failure?

What should you do if something isn't making your life better?

Why should you leave campus?

Shownotes Transcript

“College Advice For People Like Me” by henryj