Dear Scott,<p>Thank you for showing us a glimpse of the elite world. I hope that during your journey ahead you might discover more about the world as well as yourself.<p>Life stages might serve as microcosms to foster our own growth. University is just the first taste of what the world could be like, but once you step out there is a whole different world of possibilities, if you bother to look.<p>Being fortunate to have knowledge gives you a higher responsibility toward others. My advice to your regrets is that you spend some time with people outside this cohort, especially the unfortunate. You don't need to go to Australia or even a 3rd world country to learn perspective - just talk to the outcasts, desperate, immigrants, sick and unemployed. You might learn something from them.<p>It is unfortunate that everyone is living in their own bubbles, especially the "rich" i.e. anyone with some life edge: American, educated, white, 1st world, healthy, employed, etc. Once you immerse yourself in the stories on the opposite, the "poor", you will begin to realize how delusional the notion of "choice" is. In reality, nobody has any choice in life: we were all just given different things in this world and our part (responsibility) is to make good use of them.<p>You might rightfully scorn at the elite for "playing the game", but realize that they themselves are imprisoned by their own fortune: the stress of "keeping up with the Joneses" by chasing wealth, prestige, image, etc. They are covert victims of their own successes, slaves to their own vices: in finance (stealing), consulting (lying), and tech (brainwashing). Only a few will knowingly (let alone willingly) admit their own sins - this is the curse of knowledge.<p>Once you understand better the human condition - that we are all just imperfect creatures, puns in a dark world, you might just be able to better discover your role in it. And perhaps, your "regrets" might just be the very key to forge you into a better writer.<p>Best of luck,