>>9411>accumulating all of the knowledge you can get your hands on while never actually putting it to any useThat's completely dependent on what you want to learn. Yes, if you devote your life to learning one of those new-age hobby languages that no one actually speaks and accumulating knowledge about obscure videogames no one actually plays then there's a very low chance that you'll ever get to use that knowledge in any practical way. That being said, even the people who are like this still manage to be fulfilled by these hobbies because they enjoy them. And I guess that's fundamentally what things like this fundamentally come down to; you need some kind of reward. If you're learning a new language, you should want to use it, if you want to exercise you should want to use your healthy body in some way, if you're learning a skill you should want to apply it. I'm saying "want" instead of "do" because believe it or not, once you know a language, have a grasp on a practical skill, or have an established exercise routine, the doing just comes naturally to you. Eating the carrot is easy, chasing it is infinitely harder.
>or going to college/applying for a job, because the only way you can stave off self-loathing is by putting up a front of self-improvement.Jobs are a spook, I would know because I'm employed. You just need something that gets you enough cash to live comfortably and buy things you want once in a while. You should also spend as little time working as you can, unless you enjoy your job or use it as a way to lose weight. That's about all they're good for.
College is a mixed bag. I hated it so much I'd rather work in a loud, dusty warehouse where it gets to 40°C in the summer and -15°C in the winter, but that's just because I let my parents choose a college for me instead of just picking what I wanted. I'm sure you can figure out the right school for you once you find something you're good at and/or enjoy doing. Colleges are also great for making friends, at least compared to jobs, so there's that.
>putting up a front of self-improvementThis part especially made me a bit hot under the collar and made me reply even though I'm a terminal lurker who only posted here once before. There's no such thing as a "front" when it comes to self improvement, that's retarded and you know better than that even if you(and admittedly, sometimes me aswell) feel this way. If you're doing it, it's helping. You can only put up a front of self improvement if you're lying about doing it. If you write every day, your handwriting will improve and your hand will become more dexterous. If you start exercising every day, you'll become stronger and you'll have more stamina. If you decide to learn a language or do math problems every day, your brain will become sharper. As long as you stick to it and do it as often as you can without burning out, you will become a better person. It just works, but you'll need to actually do it first.
