If you could go back in time and give your 18-year-old self one piece of advice, what would it be?
An internet user asked, “What is some advice you wish you could give to your 18-year-old self?”. Below, we’ve curated the best suggestions:
Treat College Like An 8-5 Job
“When you go to college, treat it like an 8-5 job. Use the entire 9 hours to go to class and study, plus a lunch break. If you do this M-F, you will rarely need to study on weekends and only occasionally in the evenings. I didn’t learn this until I was a senior and I wish I had started out this way. [Engineering major].”
Experience As Much As You Can
“Experience as much as you can before you commit long term to anything or anyone.
Travel as much as you can. Date as much as you can. Work as much as you can. Do as much school as you can. Meet as many people as possible! Do as many activities as you can.”
Don’t Feel So Indebted To People
“Don’t feel so indebted to people, don’t work so hard, look for healthy relationships (including platonic) where you just make each other happy.”
Avoid Those Cringe Elderly In The Trailer Park
“Avoid the elderly people who offer you beer in the trailer park your family just moved into. The old woman will offer you meth without either of you knowing what it was and you’ll be addicted for the next 8 years.”
Stop Trying To Impress Every Woman
“Seriously, if some woman isn’t interested in you, move on and don’t go all out to impress them. That and if you are fine financially, don’t listen to others.”
Build Your Individual Identity
“Build your identity outside of a partner or your family.”
Stretch Often
“Stretch often, even if you don’t work out. Your 30+-year-old self will appreciate it.”
Take Care Of Your Teeth
“Take care of your teeth.”, said one.
“I seriously wish I could go back to 18yr old self (and younger), smack them upside the head and say “brush your damn teeth”. I have so many fillings, crowns, and root canals and I’m not even 30 yet.”, another added.
Be Serious About Your Financial Future
“Start seriously thinking about your financial future. Learn about budgeting, finances, investing, etc. Don’t count on social security or anything. Doesn’t matter how much you make. Live within your means and always set some of your income aside for your future. You’ll thank yourself when you’re in your 60’s and beyond. Don’t be one of them who jokingly or not, say their retirement plan is death.”
Don’t Worry About Other People’s Thoughts
“Don’t worry about what anyone else around you thinks, you are never going to see those people again in a few years.”
Work Hard & Move Out Sooner
“Work hard & move out sooner. Don’t worry about what your family thinks.”
Don’t Do Any Of This
“Don’t let the opinions of others determine your worth. Don’t stress too much about things you have no control over. Don’t let others put you down, don’t be shy, don’t ever let anyone take your happiness and take everything step by step.”
Preserve Your Joints
“Preserve your joints (shoulders, hips, knees) and overall physical health. No matter how successful you become, chronic pain will lead you into a life of misery.”
Relax, And Take Your Time
“Relax, and take your time. Enjoy the journey.
Because when I was 18 I had already graduated from high school and was a 2nd-year freshman in college, I thought the faster I finish school the more time I’ll have to help my family and live the rest of my life. I ended up finishing up undergraduate studies in two years, then spent the next five figuring out where I was going to live, work, etc. all while completing grad school degrees.
If I could do it all over again, I’d take my sweet time and enjoy being in the little bubble that school and having no real responsibilities provided.”
Learn How Credit Actually Works
“Learn how credit actually works before 23.”
Don’t Drop Your Major
“Don’t drop your major. Yeah, it’s awful and no one prepared you for college, but that CS degree would have had us where we actually wanted to be. Instead, it’s over a decade later and we missed the tech glory days.”
Romanticize Life
“Romanticize life, don’t be afraid of mistakes and treat every trauma as a character development.”
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This article was originally published on Mrs Daaku Studio.