Hey folks,

For context, I am a 26 year old straight male. Undergrad college student. Decent shape (athletic but not super muscular), chill personality, kind of intellectual but still like to slam back beers with my friends. I don't game, I'm not a neck beard, I know how to dress myself and bathe.. Going semi-monk mode right now.

Been a long time lurker of TRP and have implemented a lot of the material here into my life and seen great success with it.. (Aside from "sexual strategy".. Between working full time and attending college full time and maintaining good grades / pushing myself, the logistics just haven't been there for dating.. I can't remember the last day I had off between work and school, but I digress..

So I'm doing really well for myself these days.. Despite having some rocky moments in my teens and early 20s, I would consider myself generally on the path to success from my perspective. At 23 years old, I went back to college after I dropped out my first year at 18 and worked full time in a restaurant for a good 7 years).. I took a few courses part time at CC while I worked for a few years and thought over what I wanted to do with my life. I just wanted to get my feet wet with it and see if it was for me. After 2 years, I figured out what I wanted to major in after weighing career possibilities, wages, job growth etc and carefully taking my future into consideration. I then went as a full time student my last two semesters and graduated with really good grades.

I figured I would apply to the best schools in the US for my major just to see if I would get in. Albeit, I did this with the same mindset of playing one of those $20 scratch tickets.. The application fee was just something to see if I'd win the lottery.. Whatever. My CC does a matriculation program with state universities anyway and the state universities are also great for my major.

Well I got into my #1 choice school, with a generous scholarship and great financial aid package. A school that is ranked #1 for my major in the country and the top 10 in the world. I still remember seeing the envelope in the mail. That day was life changing for me. I've met so many inspirational professors and students it's amazing. Truly a dream come true.

Anyway, I came to the red pill after a really bad break up with a girl I was in love with. She broke up with me because she no longer loved me. I realized I had been beta in the relationship the whole time.. I had also been self-loathing and immature. She eventually met someone new who she was a lot happier with than me and I sank into this awful depression. I wanted to die. I couldn't stop thinking about her for a whole two years and every girl I hooked up with or dated, I found unattractive because I just wanted her.

Then I found TRP and it motivated me to be where I am now. I am at one of the best schools in the world, I'm in the best shape of my life (I ran a mile in under 7:30 the other day.. I never dreamed of being able to do that when I was a chubby awkward online gamer who got bullied in middle school). I also find myself getting IOIs from chicks left and right.. My boss is a female and she comments on my physique.

Anyway, sorry for the humble bragging.. I just wanted to illustrate a picture of how the advice here has shaped me into a better person. But I have another issue.

I'm going to be going home for the summer between semesters from college. The old social circle I used to hang with back there now though just mocks me all the time. But the thing is we all have this ball busting sense of humor all the time where we just rag on each other. But now, I find myself kind of irritated by it and kind of want to call them out on the bullshit. I'm sensing that it's not just in good fun anymore, but that they just have this hater attitude where they want to try to make me feel like shit about myself. I get the impression they're all ganging up on me just from the group chats where I'm the common target.

I've also kind of developed a more alpha frame of mind I guess. I used to bend to peoples whims and wishes all the time, but these days I feel like I have a better judgement of when to take someone's advice with a grain of salt vs. take it as dogma.

For instance, when I was a kid I would always obey my parents and take their word as the highest authority. These days I might question my parents' judgement on something, consider their viewpoint, but ultimately I am the one who makes the final decision. Before I would let my friends frame outlooks and opinions on thins ("that band sucks bro!" "Dude those shoes are fucking gay" etc..)

Has anyone else dealt with this? Should I just walk away and stop associating with these people? How do you prevent this kind of thing from happening in the future? Or maybe I'm just over analyzing everything.

Incite is appreciated.