random thought of mine, but I think we are going to get a lot midlife crisis's and fight club/american beauty style movies like in the 90's when everyone got depressed about spending their lives in cubicals and living in the suburbs. idk maybe I'm too high rn but this feels like it's gonna be a thing
It's the same dread no matter what youth is "wasted" on. Every single book by a middle aged guy references this in one way or another lol.
Unsatisfactory youth and life in general is exasperated by the society we live in which is also going nowhere and rewards jobs and people who keep the stagnation going, so no matter what we "choose" to spend our time on it'll feel wasted as time goes on because we are part of a society that is doing that.
Just make as many friends as you can and keep people you care about close, any attempt to engage with the society at large is not worthwhile unless you've got that is my point.