Older people have more knowledge and experience in life. Their advice can guide younger people in the right direction.
A user asked the forum, “Adults, what advice can you give an 18-year-old just coming into the real world?” Here are the top responses.
VALUE YOUR TIME
“Value your time. Don’t let those who ain’t worth it steal it from you.”
BE PHYSICALLY ACTIVE
“Take care of your back. Even if it’s 10 minutes of yoga in the morning and a workout, too, a little is better than none.
TEETH
“Take care of your teeth.”
STAY CURIOUS
“Stay curious! Learning is such a joy of life.”
YOU WILL LOOK BACK AND LAUGH
“No matter how smart or right you think you are now, just remember every ten or so years, you’ll look back at your younger foolish self and laugh at how misinformed you were.”
START SAVING
“Start saving. Compound interest is a strong force.”
DEBT IS SLAVERY
“Debt is slavery. Treat it with great caution.”
AVOID SOCIAL MEDIA
“Avoid social media, protect your privacy, and keep photos and videos off the internet.”
TRADING
“If you make a trade, look into a union apprenticeship program. A union is a good option with benefits and protection compared to a silly job without those things.”
TREAT EVERYONE WITH RESPECT
“Treat everyone with respect whether they’re a Chief Executive Officer, CEO or a janitor. On that note, when you’re going for a job interview, it starts when you’re in the vicinity, the subway stops before you get there, the elevator, etc.
You never know if you’re going to be a jerk to your interviewer before you’ve even sat down in front of them. It’s happened more than you’d care to think!”
PROCESS EMOTIONS
“Have some effective ways to process emotions. It catches up if you sweep them under the rug.”
GET A DEGREE IN SOMETHING YOU CAN TOLERATE
“Get a degree in something you can tolerate doing. Bonus points if it’s a straight 9-5. Then learn to ‘Work’ when you get home on one or two things you are passionate about and let them eventually take over what pays your bills.”
DON’T GET INTO MANIPULATIVE RELATIONSHIPS
“For fellow girls, don’t get into manipulative relationships with elderly men; they will ruin your lives forever and scar you more than physical pain.”
QUESTION YOUR MORALS AND VALUES
“Go into yourself, question your values and morals, as they will most likely change in the next few years; also, start saving as much money as you can for your future; you never know what’s coming or when you need it.
DON’T OVERDO DRUGS
“If you experiment with drugs, don’t overdo them or think of them as a ‘cure-all,’ as some can push you into thinking that, and before you know it, you’re addicted, so safer use is key.”
TAKE MORE RISKS
“Take more risks. I remember my high school graduation speaker quoted the song “I Hope You Dance.” At the time, I thought that was just what old people who wanted to say something cool would say.
But now that I’m older (if I had a kid in high school, they’d be legal this year), that’s what I would say. Especially when you’re younger, mistakes are more accessible to fix. Hopefully, though, you’d do more ‘calculated risks.'”
DON’T BE AFRAID TO FAIL
“Don’t be afraid to fail. You will need to fail a lot of times to get good at anything. Just make sure you learn from the experience and don’t repeat the same thing.”
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This article was originally published on Mrs. Daaku Studio.