I see lots of concurring and dissenting opinions here, and will add one more:
For context, I double majored in two adjacent subjects, physics and math. I went to a state school that has a very strong physics program. I also worked in physics lab for the last ~2 years, and graduated a semester early. While I did OK academically, I had no desire to run the gauntlet again in grad school, and left to work in tech.
I have never, ever, been as a busy as I was in college, nor do I ever want to be. I think that's a good thing! I have much more time to explore things that don't pan out, to do things I know are not "productive" (i.e, play video games), and am generally happier.
Apart from quality of life improvements, I think there are additional financial and intellectual benefits to not being overly burdened -- the time to explore topics that were not immediately adjacent to my field of study results in extremely useful skill development and better cross-pollination of ideas.
For context, I double majored in two adjacent subjects, physics and math. I went to a state school that has a very strong physics program. I also worked in physics lab for the last ~2 years, and graduated a semester early. While I did OK academically, I had no desire to run the gauntlet again in grad school, and left to work in tech.
I have never, ever, been as a busy as I was in college, nor do I ever want to be. I think that's a good thing! I have much more time to explore things that don't pan out, to do things I know are not "productive" (i.e, play video games), and am generally happier.
Apart from quality of life improvements, I think there are additional financial and intellectual benefits to not being overly burdened -- the time to explore topics that were not immediately adjacent to my field of study results in extremely useful skill development and better cross-pollination of ideas.