I can partly relate to the religion/family values part. I am an ex-Muslim. And it would break my fathers heart to hear me say that I don't believe in God and think that Islam and other religions are a hoax. After much trouble with that, I decided to keep some things to my self. In some cases it's better to go your own way I guess. About the work-life balance I was expecting the situation to be the opposite. You partying too much and not taking things serious (which was the accusation of my parents. In my case it was partially true and I later realized that I needed to figure that out for myself. In your case I would say that you should try to adjust yourself. I think that at some point you will feel that there is something missing in your life (human interaction) and try to adjust. Don't forget that your parents only want the best for you. They want to give you advice that is based on their experience and you should listen to it. But in the end, you should go your own way, because that's how we evolve :)