Whoa, harsh take on love, but I understand it. I met the love of my life during my freshman year, and though there have been times I feel my focus and productivity suffered as a result, I would not have it another way. Love, and even heartbreak, are such fundamental and enriching parts of human life that I really think they are worth sacrificing for.
I can get past distraction. I still code don't I? I still learn. But to eschew love for fear of heartbreak is cowardice.
"Far better is it to have a stout heart always and suffer one's share of evils, than to forever be fearing what may happen." - Herodotus
I didn't recommend to "eschew love for fear of heartbreak" though. I was really trying to ease an FOMO he might feel if he doesn't fall in love in college (which is pretty common, too, especially among the nerdy set, or at least was when I went to college in the 90's).
I did not read your last paragraph that way. With this explanation I totally understand your advice now. I had friends who seemed dead set on finding a girlfriend as priority number one. I even had multiple friends express their jealousy to my face that I had found a person to love and they hadn't. I wanted to smack those friends and say "just live your life man! There's nothing stopping you from being happy except yourself."
The FOMO is real and I think your advice is great.
I can get past distraction. I still code don't I? I still learn. But to eschew love for fear of heartbreak is cowardice.
"Far better is it to have a stout heart always and suffer one's share of evils, than to forever be fearing what may happen." - Herodotus