>Can't you just make that within your network? (neighbors, clubs, events...) Many of my friends who didn't go to college (or commuted to college) held on to wh

>Can't you just make that within your network? (neighbors, clubs, events...) Many of my friends who didn't go to college (or commuted to college) held on to whichever high school friends also stayed behind. They didn't meet many new people or do many new things. While it's theoretically possible to seek out the same level of novelty and excitement college gives you, it's also hard enough that most people won't do it.