[milhous]

A judicious combination of solitude and social interaction is key. I've long had to battle the problem of leaving social events early because it was just too easy to stick around until something was over, only then feeling guilty afterward because some of that time could've been better spent doing Math or working on a project/program. I like to do these things not because I'm a recluse, but that these activities are enriching, align with my goals, and just happen to be individual/solitary activities.

While it would be nice to travel (as others have done, which is great), go to beer/food festivals and concerts this summer, I'd rather be reviewing Vector Analysis, Linear Algebra, and Quantum Mechanics to get ready for the Fall semester so that I can be ready with the material in class. This isn't to be taken as an absolute. But for right now, it's the right thing to do, and to do anything to the contrary would be a poor use of my time and lead to more guilt and anxiety.

At 33 with many goals has made me realize that time management is essential, and not investing in those goals will result in repeated failure and frustration.

There's no shame in doing things alone and saying no to group activities. It's all about Opportunity cost and the scarcity of resources. That resource being time.