Elon Musk’s former classmate and girlfriend recently opened up about his time at the University of Pennsylvania, revealing some fascinating and quirky details about the future tech mogul’s college years. According to her account, Musk was already exhibiting the traits that would later define his career—ambitious, driven, and sometimes unpredictable—but his actions back then also had a strange, eccentric side that few could have predicted would lead to the creation of companies like Tesla, SpaceX, and Neuralink.

A Quirky and Unconventional Student

Elon Musk attended the University of Pennsylvania in the mid-1990s, where he pursued degrees in economics and physics. His former classmate and girlfriend recalls how Musk stood out for his intense focus on his future, which often led him to act in ways that baffled those around him. He was known for spending long hours working on his ideas and projects, sometimes to the point of obsession. But it wasn’t just his drive that made him memorable; it was also the unusual things he did that left lasting impressions.

The “Strange” Moments

One of the most notable aspects of Musk’s college years was his nonconformity. His girlfriend shared stories of how Musk would frequently engage in bizarre behavior, like skipping social gatherings and spending entire weekends holed up in his dorm room, reading and working on his various projects. “He was always thinking about something—whether it was business or space travel,” she said. “Most people would go out and have fun, but Elon would get lost in his thoughts and ideas.”

In one particularly strange instance, Musk decided to host a huge party at his house during his sophomore year, but instead of following typical college party conventions, he turned it into a business pitch. “He invited people over and started talking about his ideas for online businesses before it was even a trend,” his girlfriend recalled. “While others were drinking and dancing, Elon was discussing how he could make money from the internet and transform industries.”

Visionary Yet Eccentric

Despite his eccentricities, Musk was always surrounded by a small group of friends who were equally interested in tech and entrepreneurship. He often shared his grand ideas with them, many of which would later come to life. According to his former girlfriend, Musk was always very ambitious, even in his early 20s. “He would talk about changing the world in a way that made you believe he might actually do it,” she said. “He wasn’t like other students; he wasn’t satisfied with just getting good grades or finding a regular job. He was thinking much bigger.”

She also described how Musk often displayed a level of confidence that seemed beyond his years. “Elon would walk around campus like he was already running a global company,” she laughed. “People would look at him like he was crazy, but in a way, they were also intrigued by him.”

A Glimpse into the Future

Although his behavior was often unconventional, Musk’s early actions were a glimpse of the larger-than-life figure he would become. His former classmate noted how Musk was often the first to embrace emerging technologies, from the internet to early software developments. “He was always ahead of the curve, even back then. He knew the world was changing and he wanted to be part of that change.”

Ultimately, these “strange” behaviors—his intense focus, his tendency to challenge norms, and his visionary thinking—set Musk on the path to becoming one of the most influential figures of the 21st century. His time at Penn may have been marked by eccentric actions and unconventional thinking, but it was precisely these qualities that allowed him to revolutionize the tech and automotive industries. The world might have thought he was strange back then, but looking at his accomplishments now, it’s clear that Musk’s quirks were just the beginning of his extraordinary journey.

Conclusion

Elon Musk’s college years at the University of Pennsylvania were filled with strange, eccentric behaviors that, in hindsight, were a precursor to the genius that would shape industries. His former girlfriend and classmate’s recollections show how Musk’s unique mindset and relentless pursuit of big ideas started long before he became the CEO of Tesla or the founder of SpaceX. Though his actions may have seemed odd at the time, they were part of the larger-than-life persona that would eventually change the world.