Does one always feel like they didn't quite experience everything in life?

Opportunity cost is a bitch.

It's important to try and experience things, and it's also important to understand that you will never have the time, energy, or resources to experience everything out there. Choose what you do wisely. Time is one thing we have absolutely no control over. Ask any old man what he wouldn't give to be young again.

Whodini said something a while back about wishing he treated relationships in college more like social experiments. "Give me a BJ or I will never talk to you again." etc. I agree.

if youre in college and do a lot of online dating....im pretty sure the cute girl sitting next to you doesnt want to talk.

West24, I mish you

That, well said, is a mouthful.

I think this is mostly just a young person's sentiment... once one gets a family such philosophical thoughts are eclipsed by the petty daily concerns of chores and work. It is a pity, since I view this as hiding from reality. OP, I have this feeling, of whether I'm wasting my life or not, quite profoundly- it haunts me daily (I'm not being sarcastic). If you're looking for a quick escape, indeed getting a family will squash those ruminations, and society will call you "selfless" for not thinking about yourself. I don't agree, forgetting oneself in one's family or job is the height of selfishness.

Getting to the original feeling you mentioned, I generally undulate between two solutions- one is to make as much money as possible in my career as soon as I graduate and then go insane on vacations around the world, sleeping with as many women as possible whilst listening to exotic trance beats... or going on some grand Quixotan misadventures through north africa... again, in search of romance. I'm exaggerating, but I have actually been on a couple 'round-the-world' trips and it actually is possible, in places like dusk on the Lao/Cambodian border, to find some sublime states formerly thought impossible in this bleak life. The other solution is to overcome the concept of time itself, which is primarily the cause of this whole dilemma from the start (i.e. "losing" time). Time is a construct of the mind which can pass if one ceases motor control over consciousness... and Buddha has outlined thoroughly that path.

I would be very interested to hear anyone else's ideas.

To sum it all up, I must say that I regret nothing.

I feel this way quite often.

I'm older than most here, I'm 60.

My Father died in 1969 and I made him a promise which I haven't kept. I'm not dead yet and I'm going to renew my efforts and try to fulfill that promise.

In addition, I went to Rice U. from 1967-1971. I had the most fantastic opportunities available to anyone. I feel that I missed out on those opportunities.

At this point in my life my priorities have changed.

I recently wrote this:

It reminded me of dreams. There are kids right now with tough backgrounds and parents. And some of those kids are dreaming. Perhaps of becoming another Bill Gates or Larry Ellison. I'll be gone but I predict it will happen for a few kids. It might be in India or China but it will happen.

In the time I have left, I'm going to pursue some dreams.

BTW: If you are young and in college, you have lots of time. Don't waste it.

If you didn't feel that way.. you would die... that's the motivation to keep on living another day so you can see and experience one more new thing.