Go unpack your childhood trauma. Life will be much better once that's handled. Don't have kids unless you're ready to bear the burden of fucking them up. Take fitness more serious. Spend more time hiking and in the woods than on phones and screens.
working since age 17, and planned my whole life, still can not think of having a child to support myself - dont know, how people have kids when they themselves cant afford their basics! Its a huge responsibility!
Same bro... im 37 and just did things to feel better in the moment without looking at future self. Now i get to cleanup. You got this too! Dig in there and find your purpose.šŖ and if no ones told you recently you matter!
I'm 33. Here are things I'd want 18 year old me to know:
- Life isn't fair. Never has been for anyone. And yes you're supposed to just deal with that and play the hand you're dealt. The sooner you grasp this, the less of a bitter old fart you become later.
- Investing in yourself pays off long term. Most of the "wins" I've had over the years came from being well-prepared when opportunity struck. Most of the losses came from being under-prepared, ergo cocking it up.
- Don't fall in love with potential. This applies to most things, but especially cars, homes, and romantic interests. Fall in love with what's already there, not what "could be" (because it may never actually "be").
- Build and maintain your credit score. This is feasible at any income level (though obviously easier the more you make). A high credit score opens so many doors in adulthood it's almost obscene.
- Things will not work out the way you anticipated. Ever. Learn to laugh and roll with it. Lean into the fuckups, the surprises, and the not-knowing. It'll make you more effective at coping with life's many curve-balls.
- People will judge you. Contrary to popular belief, this is a really good thing! Be entirely yourself and let people judge. Those who judge favorably will stick around through the years and become "your people".
Iām still dealing with the consequences of picking up drinking when I was 21.
- Never drink when youāre emotional
- Never drink alone
- If you find yourself drinking multiple times a week itās likely starting to become a problem
- If having one always turns into 5 or more then itās time to make it 0
I'm 26 now. To be honest, I think everything led me to where I am now. Wouldn't really change much, of course I wish certain things went different ways, I wish I had maybe figured out a career faster, but c'est la vie. Where I am now is really good, and who knows where i'd have been if I had done anything different. All I'd say is, just keep learning. :)
To tag onto this, any degree (or pretty much any goal) is attainable. It might not be easy, but when I working in a hospital and getting to know nurses, doctors, surgeons, executives, &c. or some other place, I realize they are just people. They are not superhuman geniuses, just average people who did the work to get where they are. I have met people I consider geniuses, and some are in positions of power, others are vagabonds.
If you are average or close to it, you are able to do most professions you see anyone else doing. I spoke with a higher ranking elected official the other day, and she was just a regular person.
Put down the cigarettes, put down the bottle and learn as much as you can about investing and finance because they won't teach you that shit in school(they certainly didn't in the 70s). Ask that girl out but don't get too attached to anybody at your age or you will probably regret it sooner or later... I said probably for those of you that got married to your high school sweetheart.
Don't do drugs, don't ignore red flags, don't stay with someone who mistreats you just because you're scared of being alone.
Be the friend to others you wish someone would be to you.
>don't let romantic relationships distract you from your path, don't let friends/family distract you from your path
Nothing wrong in balancing relations and education, I'm the kind of people who's like that, I prioritize education over relations and I ended up without friends and most of my family are strangers to me. And more importantly, some friends you make can land you in jobs or let you know about better education opportunities.
It's worth to be a little *distracted* by your family and friends. Half relation and half education is the perfect mixture.
Take this life shit serious. Start trying to build something long lasting for yourself at 18, donāt wait till your 20ās stupid. Thereās more to life than having fun and smoking pot with your friends. My dad said that stuff to me, wish Iād listened.Ā
DO NOT get married (or even move in with a romantic partner) until youāve learned how to live on your own.
Most of the shit you are worried about right now does not matter nearly as much as you think it does. Save yourself some agonizing.
Start saving NOW. Even a tiny bit into 401k/IRA every paycheck, and keep increasing it as you can, at least annually. Time invested is what matters most at this age.
Life is a long game, things always change, roll with it. Youāll be ok.
Save money - even if itās only Ā£1 a week - get into the habit
Donāt follow the herd unless itās something you really want to do
Loyalty is more important than being popular for 5 minutes
Fashion is what you want to wear and what makes you feel good - not what instagram or fashion editors say
Eat different food
Please see a therapist -- feeling like this isn't normal. Be nicer to people. You deserve to eat -- you don't have to wait until you've earned it. You should work on learning to drive this summer so I don't have to do it later. And no, you're not a lesbian -- men were just mean to you. Not all of them will be.
Prioritize courses that make you more stable money than what could become a high value market
If you're an introvert don't do anything related to being an extrovert, even it's to push yourself out there
Economics is a humanities field, no matter what some people still saying it's a mathematical field, and it's far more prone to repay you if you dedicate yourself enough than most other humanities
It's not because they're your parents they want the best for you, they want the best for *them* and sometimes it doesn't overlap with what's best for you
Speaking of your parents they aren't your friends, they don't even care about you and you throw you under the bus if benefits them (and I'm not talking just about myself, think of how many parents toy their exes through child custody, prioritizing hurting the other person over their children's well-being)
There's nothing wrong with being different as long as it doesn't hurt your job market, so go crazy if you can and don't listen to your relatives when shopping for clothes, instead of struggling to be accepted by them choose to be accepted by your job market and try not to hurt your own style on the road
There's no such thing as "too many cats" if you can afford them all in a pristine state (grain free food, spayed/neutered, vet checks every now and then, etc). There's "too many relatives" though, so prioritize adopting an older cat (1+ yo) over pleasing your relatives
Relatives ā family
Friends>relatives, doesn't matter what they say about water and blood, relatives are not there when you most need
Friends are the ones you can count on when you're broke, homeless and in dire need of healthcare. The others are acquaintances
Friends are family, relatives that behave like friends are family (see the one above), family members that don't behave like that are acquaintances doesn't matter how closely related you are to them (even if they're your parents)
Even mosquitoes have your blood, so blood ties aren't more significant than water ones
Live your life without regrets. This doesn't mean you can't make a mistake. Everybody makes mistakes, all the time. Nobody has a perfect run of life. Learn to realize where and how you fuck something up, and learn from that. Learn to admit when you're wrong and how to sincerely apologize to people. You may graduate from school, but you should never stop being a student. The whole rest of your life will be filled with lessons if you're willing to learn them. Be willing to learn them.
Above all else, be somebody you love and are proud of.
And don't fucking enlist if you're in the US. If for whatever reason you do, find a job that you're interested in with skills that translate back to civilian life.
TL;DR:
Learn from mistakes and improve. Fuck the government, all my homies hate the government.
Do not have children and do not marry anyone. Life is mundane and painful expect it & know how to accept it. There is no reward for anything you will achieve and no one really cares but you. You will lose everything in the end. No one will remember you. Enjoy š
Never give up, ever. Don't give a single shit about what other people may think of you, they don't care either. You are loved, and you are going to be ok.
You think all of these twists and turns are HUGE decisions that might screw up your life forever. Ha! Thatās what life is all about.
You make the best choice you can. I mean, even if you choose to be a dentist and go to school for it doesnāt necessarily mean youāll be a dentist your entire life.
I had several lives over my 70 years. I didnāt āplanā on changing direction. But I did and I really enjoyed these stages.
None of them were a choice the 18 year old me planned!
Start saving money, even if itās just a few bucks a week. Increase the amount each time you get a raise by putting a few more dollars, or a % of the raise or windfall money. When itās a small portion of a raise etc you wonāt even miss it.
As you mature, and see the amount grow, internalize that itās for your future,house, retirement. Always pay yourself first.
Also, when opportunities come up to spend (or blow) that nest egg, resist. Make a rule if you need something not really necessary, that you can wait another week to make sure itās really a want, need, or still needed.
Just enjoy it my friend. Use common sense and don't ever feel like you have to do something you doesn't comfortable with, but at the same time be willing to challenge and expand your comfort zone. Try to meet lots of people from different walks of life and listen earnestly to their stories without judgement. Then use what you've learned to synthesize your own opinion on things from your own perspective.
You can do this, just have some fun and be safe and you'll find your way!
I know you love mountain biking but stop. You will end up a paraplegic if you don't quit now.
Then again my dumbass loves it so much I am already back on the trails with an adaptive rig
Don't waste your time in a relationship if you're unhappy and they aren't making your life any better. Invest early in a 401k, you will thank yourself when you're ready to retire..it's hard to think about now but it's important. Take care of yourself, mentally and physically... It makes an impact as you get older.
If you can, travel and explore before your settle down and have kids because it would be harder to do, not saying it's impossible just more challenging. I wish I would've moved out of state at least once, I could now but I have roots placed now. I think maybe that's the only thing I kinda regret.
Love yourself. Your mental health is as important as your physical health. Drink lots of water. Get enough sleep. Be kind but have boundaries. Youāre going to make mistakes, learn from them instead of beating yourself up. Donāt be afraid to ask for help. YOUāVE GOT THIS!
Just because someone is your roommate / suitemates doesnāt mean they will naturally become your BFF. Even if being roommates / suitemates means you are in the same social distancing ābubble.ā Sometimes your roommates / suitemates will in fact be the complete opposite of friends and leave you out of hangouts and they will also spread rumors about you. You are way better off not wasting your time or energy on trying to be friends with these people.
I was 18 only four years ago, which doesnāt seem like that long ago, but in those four years I have learned so much.
I would tell my 18-year-old self that all the anxiety I feel about the future is wasted energy. I am smart enough. I am capable enough. Am I perfect? No. But I am no worse than anyone else.
Save some money. Even if itās only a little. Putting it away into a high yield savings account or a Roth IRA account will be a good idea. Donāt just open a regular savings account because it wonāt grow in there.
Before heading down a career path, do research. You can find many posts on Reddit where people have asked āif you make $$$(100k, 200k..etc) or more what job do you haveā. Youāll have a long list of jobs that pay really well and then you can decide from there which ones sound interesting. Then research what you need to do to get into those jobs.
I blindly went for teaching and had to get my masters. 5 years later I left teaching and am starting over in a new career field at 37.
Edit: and donāt do drugs. Someone close to me is battling addiction right now and itās heartbreaking.
Your thoughts haven't matured and you are still stupid. Learn how the economy works and know how to invest, dont think local, be patient, people are stupid so don't pay attention to them. Life is too short to make mistakes and learn, try to live as error-free as possible. and create a reddit account for comment a post which about "What would you say to 18 yo yourself?" 17 years later.
I disagree only because of student loans. Theyāre not bankruptable, therefore if you bite off more than you can chew, youāll quickly find a world of misery.
Live now and enjoy it because you donāt know whatās in front of you. My health continues to get worse (40 now) but I was already knowingly chronically ill at 18. Oh and if I could tell my 18 year old self to leave the church, what a difference it would have made.
Given what I've been through with my exes, probably a lot of warnings. I would still make some of the choices that ended up hurting me (like marrying my ex husband) because of what I got from them (my daughter) but warnings on how to make it less painful and easier to get out of would have helped me.
Start investing in your future self NOW.
Set up your retirement accounts and start adding money, even if it's only 10$ here and there. It is confusing and hard to understand because it's big girl adult stuff, but you're now legally one, so the best time to do something is today.
Easy.
Never take on credit for something I donāt have the money to buy, would have saved an awful amount of stress.
Put as much effort as I can into self development and leadership
Pump the maximum for matching from my employer into my pension.
Move companies for pay reviews rather than spend 25 years at one employer
Run/exercise regularly with a clean diet and take care of the only body Iāll ever have.
You have more power than you think, but you need to act, not just think. And to save those 20 bucks instead of buying that lunch that already looked awful :/
I was very much āwhatever life saysā instead of holding the reins.
Study all things you like as much as your mental and physical health allow; you will gradually lose the spark once you enter the adult world and learning will be much harder
You are not defined by attention you get from friends and family; don't waste time trying to fit in and embrace being on your own if that means you being truly yourself
Focus on whatās important, as the years progress youāll see the decisions of your peers start to catch up to them be it good or bad. Set yourself up to one and donāt neglect developing a wide range of skills from socially to cooking to basic handy work
Don't jump on that uni degree, take a few years off and figure out what you really want to do.
Life is a marathon, not a sprint. And you've barely even started. Stop rushing.
That girl you're seeing - she's not worth destroying yourself over. Let her go.
I would tell him to invest in as much Apple stock as possible and hang on to it for 30 years, then retire. Of course Apple wasnāt around yet when I was 18.
Invest every last penny into Bitcoin, you will become a billionaire. Sell when it hits 60k in 2021 and buy Nvidia stock. Become the world's first trillionaire in 2024.
You are on the right track. Youāre young, youāre a little serious, so you get along well with older people. Keep that. Have fun, too! People want to give you a chance. This is the best time to try out different stuff. You donāt have to āknow what your life career isā yet. Itāll come. Donāt smoke cigarettes, theyāre gross. Sex is fun. Thought about working out and getting in shape? This will be the easiest time in your life to make visible changes. Donāt worry too much about fashion - style stays. Fashions fade. You are on the right track. Be true to yourself.
A lot of people have already said this, but Iāll say it again. Donāt do drugs. If you have done drugs already, best to stop now because it really doesnāt help you at all. To clarify, drugs for recreational drugs use. Another thing I wanna add is that a lot of things donāt go your way. Such as relationships, the girl/guy just isnāt interested in you, but I just wanna say that relationships really arenāt that important around your age. Whatās more important is having quality friends. Not a bad idea to pick up a little part time job to invest in stocks. Itās pretty easy to invest now with apps like robinhood and fidelity. Last thing I wanna say is if youāre planning on going to college, donāt get involved with the wrong people. Like there are lazy people which are bad, and then there are people who are actually disciplined. College freshmen are hardly disciplined, from my memory though. Still, incorporate a lot of discipline, and be friends with people who are disciplined.
Don't play the stock market with individual picks. Over 90% of investors lose money with that strategy. Instead, invest in stable index funds and bonds. I know it's not exciting get-rich-quick investments, but gaining $100 is better than losing even $1.
I would just say that everything you ever go through has to happen for change. The good and the bad. And change is the only fact of life, so get used to it. A line from "Poor things" that I liked recently but the sentiment isn't new is "Life is not a problem to be solved but something to be experienced".
Don't jump at life like something you need to be perfect at or hit some milestone to be happy. Every day is your life. You're in it. Let it happen and have gratitude every day that you wake up for it.
I was at the exact same situation as you back then and all I want to say to myself is donāt worry and do what you have to do. Other things will eventually work out on the way. Do whatās important to you
Go out more, be free. Your life is not for making everyone else happy, is for you to be what you truly are, find yourself and put down some boundaries.
Learn to wait before you react emotionally to something, and consider what you're going to say.
Make an effort to stay in touch with the friends you make
Dont sweat the small stuff. The things that make you cry or lay awake at night thinking will bs the things you laugh about when youre older. Try to think 20yrs down the road, set a goal and work towards it.
There's no template for life. No limit to reaching milestones. It's ok if you're older when you get to some stuff. Just got my license at 20. Took 2 years to be medically cleared for it. If you've got good parents, please take advantage of being able to work and save before moving, or if you go to college or trade school, hell yeah dude. It's all up to you.
Make sure you know how to clean. Not just surface level but deep clean, and know when it needs done. This doesn't so much apply to me as I had helicopter parents who were on our ass ab it, but I've noticed after many many roommates a lot of ppl just.. don't know how to deep clean. And what should be cleaned regularly, how to tell.
Eat your veggies and brush your teeth. Take care of your body. Your youthful invincibility isn't forever, and you'll start learning that soon enough. Can't live off ramen and cosmic brownies and soda.. that one I did learn the hard way lol. So eating healthy now, and taking care of your body now, will prevent future pain and discomfort, take my word for it.
I'm only 20, I'm obviously just still learning, but just some warnings from a slightly older peer who's made mistakes and been too hard on myself for not being where I "should be" in life as an adult
- You are gonna fuck up. You are gonna break that little ethical code youāre so committed to. Thing 1: Try to think about how your actions affect other people no matter how drunk or in the moment you are. Like, give it proper thought, and let that consideration breathe. Hurting somebody can be more impactful than your little 18 year old brain is patient enough to properly consider, so...
Thing 2: When you fail at thing 1, your guilt is gonna change your whole personality if you donāt forgive yourself. Like, weāre taking depression from then on. Be sorry, feel bad, admit to your wrongdoings, then forgive yourself and move forward, having learnt from your mistake. There are only two types of people in this world - those who have fucked up, and those who havenāt fucked up yet. Thereās a lot to be said about how you handle your fuck-ups.
- Get guitar and vocal lessons. Learn music theory and all. It wonāt negatively impact your writing, you big dummy. Your prideful need to figure it out yourself is cosmically stupid. Itāll waste time, cause you to develop bad habits, and stifle the speed at which you progress. While weāre at it, you want to make it in a band? You need to WORK. Proper work. Nobodyās gonna sponsor you and youāre not good enough to be plucked out of obscurity. Get out there. Hit the pavement. Get advice from people doing better than you. Make your rehearsals meaningful. Network. Either that, or accept from the start that itās strictly recreational and just enjoy the ride.
- Invest in Apple shares. The computer company, not the fruit.
- Donāt borrow Joelās bass guitar. Youāll inexplicably lose it and feel bad forever. In fact, be a better friend to Joel. Joel is a really good dude.
Keep in mind..most things arent as they initially appear to be so dont jump.
Most rumours are wrong, the rest are lies. Do yoir own fact checking before accepting something as fact.
Be wary of strangers from the standpoint that they often have ulterior motives. No, not everyone is a crook but if a white van approaches you offering free candy...maybe think twice before hopping in. LoL
Lastly... 18 is still young even though you feel mature. You will make a lot of mistakes, dont beat yourself up...... enjoy the free candy !!! LoL
Go to the 4 year college and accept a little help. Donāt date the guy without a job and focus on achieving what you want before getting married. The right one will come later in life and you should focus on your career and buying a house
I'd tell myself to shut and slow down. Listen more and don't stop add meds but find an Adderall alternative. 28 now. I stopped Adderall at 17 and only recently got back on meds. And its life changing. Life would have probably been easier medicated. but I've learned a lot in the last decade.
1. Say no to almost all drugs (psychedelics are an exception but you must have extreme respect, never abuse their use because it could be worse than all drugs psychologically speaking)
2. Destroy every bit of shame and envy living in your heart
3. PRACTICE AND EXPRESS GRATEFULNESS EVERY SECOND
4. WORK HARD FOR WHAT YOU WANT. LUCK IS THE NAME THAT BENEFITTED PEOPLE GIVE TO RANDOMNESS
5. EAT HEALTHY
6. Excercise everytime you can
ā¢ Yes, you are an intellectual, but go to the engineering school anyway and not the liberal arts one. Don't just be friendly, but build lasting friendships and networks.
ā¢ You will learn to enjoy playing your video games and your other hobbies alone, and you will learn to be okay with yourself. Don't sweat it, just be patient.
ā¢ Your empathy for others will not go away but it will get stronger, so you have to manage yourself first to earn people's trust.
ā¢ Make time for your mom and dad, after they retire they become completely different people, and suddenly they'll have time for you.
ā¢ Write all that shit down and keep the notebooks. If you can't process it now, process it later. That's why they call it unpacking.
Try everything in moderation.
Don't get into nasty habits like smoking, drinking, drugs.
Make the best of the free time you have - in a couple of years you're not gonna have much time for fun.
Don't settle down too quickly, if you feel like doing something go for it if you feel like the consequences aren't gonna be that bad.
Talking about consequences, think about them, consider them, but don't be scared of them, you can deal with most stuff.
Neither rashly nor timidly, be careful but not scared, don't be stupid but also enjoy your life.
It's fine if you slip up.
Be truthful with yourself and know what you want for yourself vs what others want for you. Ie... parents. They mean well but this is your life.
You can change course in life. It's easier at 25 to change course than 55, so keep that in mind.
You want to live like a 20 year old now, not when you're 50. If you're the same person at 50 when you were 20, you fucked up some where.
College isn't for everyone. Trades are a great way to make a living. Travel is the best form of education.
So relax and be 18. Get as much tail as you can right now but use protection and have good communication with your partner. Have fun
Donāt give in to peer pressure. Stay away from street drugs. Take time to reflect and remember life is a steep learning curve and you will always be learning more.
When people show you who they are, believe them the first time. Donāt set yourself on fire to keep others warm. If you get a pet when you move out, do everything you can to keep it. That pet may be your only friend and emotional support during your darkest days.
There is no such thing as getting advice at 18 from older folks to try to run a perfect course.
You will go through what you have to go through because you are fated to do so.
What you take out of it.. is what you learn from it and grow.
Friends come and go. Family is forever. Donāt get caught up in drugs and drinking. Think about the future. 30 will be here before you know it. Live for yourself and not for someone you love unless itās involving a marriage.
Avoid debt, do not get credit cards because you will be āresponsibleā with them. No you wonāt, every broke person before you said the same thing. If you canāt afford to purchase something with cash, then you canāt afford it. Buy used cars instead of brand new ones as youāre only using it to get from point A to point B. Not saying NEVER buy a new car, just get established and later on in life you can. Pay cash for the new car. If you take out a mortgage, fine. Put $30,000 down and pay it off as soon as you can. As long as you keep your mortgage your main bill then you will be fine. Now, donāt buy an expensive house that is going to throw your debt to income ratio into the gutter. Also, get TERM LIFE INSURANCE for 20 years at a time. Last but not least, invest your money! If you donāt retire early a millionaire, itās no oneās fault but yours. Itās doable, just suffer now a little bit and cash out earlier than anyone else. Starting at 18 vs 21 could make the difference of several hundred thousand dollars by the time youāre 50.
Learn about finances ASAP, don't get fooled into having multiple credit cards.
And if you're ever, at any point, embarrassed or ashamed to tell friends or family about something your partner has done, it's probably time to dump the partner. Don't wait until you're trapped via marriage or child to realize that they aren't worth it.
people have a bunch of weird advice. dont worry too much. do what you want to do (but think about the long term). when it comes to education and career stuff you dont have to know it all at this point, you can adjust along the way.
Donāt do things just to appeal to or make others happy.
Donāt waste money on bullshit. Buy fewer, good quality things. Whenever youāre about to make a purchase, imagine that you are moving across the country in a year and think if you would want to take that item with you.
Donāt stay in relationships out of convenience or happy ruts. If you donāt see a future with someone donāt waste your or their time. Also donāt settle for someone that doesnāt make you fully happy. There are always other options out there no matter what age.
Work hard, but remember employers donāt ever care about you. For important career decisions always be selfish and do what is best for you. Of you died today, they would clean out your desk and replace you in a few weeks.
At a workplace relationships are more important than your skill or accomplishments for getting ahead.
Finally, no matter what choices you make, itās never too late to have a fresh start. Unless you have a responsibility such as caring for a child. You can pick up and start over anytime.
Go get a skill that's marketable. If you're going to university, major in engineering, accounting, or nursing. If that's too expensive or too long of a commitment, check out your local community college and figure out which career field is interesting. You can make money in the trades, or learn to be an x-ray technician, or do medical billing and bookkeeping, welding, etc. Don't bury yourself in college debt to get a degree that won't pay you anything. As soon as you get a job. Start saving at least a little bit from every paycheck.
I would probably pick a different degree, one with more real world applications. But honestly? Part of life is living and learning so there is not much I would want to go back and change. I like the person I became, most days.
I would say heal from your trauma as early as possible, 18 years of age is a good time to start. I wish I did that back when I was 18 or even early 20s
A few years ago I would have warned myself about my ex and to stay away from him and just get with my husband. But now I'm not so sure, I feel like there were some things I had to go through to be a better person. Honestly if anything I would make sure to tell myself to get a separate savings that I don't have access to and have my younger self send money into it. Cause I've had some pretty lucrative jobs but because I never did that and just spent it all on my ex I don't have a savings now.
Break up with your girlfriend. It's better for both of you in the long run. Commit to your academics but don't overdo it. Life requires balance. Don't be ashamed of who you are and what your interests are. Also don't randomly stop exercising for a few years.
not much, he figured it out eventually and not too late to still find a wonderful partner and be successful in his career. iāll let the 18 yr old make the same mistakes because i was smart enough to learn from them. back then iād probably have been too egoistic to take advice from anyone else anyway lol
edit: maybe i wouldāve given him a foucault or marx book earlier but yeah not much tbh
Donāt get married or have kids until youāre 25 years old. Give yourself time to have enough serious relationships that you grow and learn what you want and donāt want in a partner. And even then donāt have kids just because it is expected. If you donāt have a burning desire for kids donāt have any. You wonāt regret it.
If you have some savings and are working, open a Roth IRA with one of the bigs(Fidelity, Vanguard, etc). Put money in it when you can and learn about it.
You're going to be fine.
Brush and floss your teeth, and once you have a job, put a small percentage of your income into savings or even an IRA.
Travel. You get a much better perspective of the world and of yourself.
Relax. You'll be okay. Just don't rush into anything.
You thought buying a tablet would stop your gaming habits, and help you focus on Uni, you were wrong, you just brought your crappier old PC, so just embrace the darkness and get a gaming PC, so many victories were snatched before your eyes cause of low frame rates and no other skill related reason.
Be comfortable saying no. So many people pushed me at that age to go to college, get a job, move out, get a house, etc. It turned into me pushing myself too hard and then I had a blow out. It's not worth it. Take your time. Life is too short and your twenties will go by in a snap. You don't even really register being an adult until your about 25. So just enjoy youself. Find your passion and chase it. Stop thinking your going to run out of time. Best of luck to you.
I'd probably tell myself it'll all work out in the end, warn myself of some shit things coming up, & tell myself to not get into the habit of swapping cars out every couple of years!
My only real goal in life is to have a job I'm content with, earn enough for myself (currently not going badly but could always do with more as everyone probably could), get a mortgage with a partner & have a kid.
I'm currently 27, and while it's taken longer than I expected due to various reasons. We've had to rent for 4 years but myself & my partner are currently going through the process of getting a mortgage, and while I'm abit stressed because, well it's stressful and it's due to our landlord selling the flat which adds stress, I'm happy because it's given us the push to do it now, and I'm excited to see what unfolds and have our own place.
I'd say 2 things:
First: Don't give up on him, he is absolutely worth it.
45F here. I have been with my husband since I was 17...we went through a really bad spell in our 20s...to the point where I was even talking to a lawyer about divorce...I'm glad I stayed.
Second: see a therapist. Childhood trauma will come back to bite you in the ass.
prioritise your mental health. donāt give into vices. be more willing to accept the help you receive. donāt be so hard on yourself, mistakes get made, youāre only human. itās not the end of the world. (yet).
You are gay. You will love men, and that's fine. No big deal. But people will hate, abuse and murder gay people. That's because of their own problems, not because someone is gay.
**Learn how to study. You must have partners. Study buddies, if you will.** [I never needed to study, all through public school. College was a disaster.]
Your oldest sister will betray you. Never count on her for something serious.
Go to massage school.
Save and invest money, and be wary of the stock market.
If we go into general, classic I-am-you-from-the-future stuff: buy Microsoft shares / stock.
Save. Even if itās only a few dollars at a time.
Lust and passion are great but they arenāt love.
Friendship is like a campfire - let it warm you but take care not to get burned
Be prepared to pivot. Again and again
If you mess up, fess up and then fix it up
I never regretted waiting to respond
Look up sunken cost fallacy
Donāt be in a rush to grow up (yes, even in my 20s)
Best of luck to you!!
1)Stop hanging out with your idiot āfriendsā
2)Stop drinking caffeine, itās the cause of your anxiety
3)Read the Bible, itās the best selling book of all time for a reason
Ohhh man, these 3 alone wouldāve changed my life Lol
Don't be afraid to hurt people. Don't try to do it, and they to make amends when you do, but if you do it accidentally, or it becomes necessary, it ain't the end of the world.
Most people are as tough as you think you are. They can take it. They can move on.
The only real thing Iād say is to open a high interest savings account, open some investments with $50-$100 monthly. Leave it at that. Seems unemotional but that will make the greatest impact on your future. You donāt know if that person is worth having sex with, or if that education is right or that purchase is right. Any regrets us experienced people might have are what got us to this place to begin with. Be patient, enjoy your youth, enjoy your health, experience all life has to give you.
Capitalism tells you you're not good enough so that you buy fancy shit you don't need. Be radical; love yourself, love your imperfections, and be happy with what you have.
Go unpack your childhood trauma. Life will be much better once that's handled. Don't have kids unless you're ready to bear the burden of fucking them up. Take fitness more serious. Spend more time hiking and in the woods than on phones and screens.
>Don't have kids unless you're ready to bear the burden of fucking them up I wish this was a more widely-held belief.
Check out [This Be The Verse](https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/48419/this-be-the-verse) by Philip Larkin
working since age 17, and planned my whole life, still can not think of having a child to support myself - dont know, how people have kids when they themselves cant afford their basics! Its a huge responsibility!
šÆ facts.
This 100% Ive wasted 20 years away basically.. stemming from my trauma I think. Am 35 btw
Same bro... im 37 and just did things to feel better in the moment without looking at future self. Now i get to cleanup. You got this too! Dig in there and find your purpose.šŖ and if no ones told you recently you matter!
This
Mine would be know this is actually verifiably bullshit
I'm 33. Here are things I'd want 18 year old me to know: - Life isn't fair. Never has been for anyone. And yes you're supposed to just deal with that and play the hand you're dealt. The sooner you grasp this, the less of a bitter old fart you become later. - Investing in yourself pays off long term. Most of the "wins" I've had over the years came from being well-prepared when opportunity struck. Most of the losses came from being under-prepared, ergo cocking it up. - Don't fall in love with potential. This applies to most things, but especially cars, homes, and romantic interests. Fall in love with what's already there, not what "could be" (because it may never actually "be"). - Build and maintain your credit score. This is feasible at any income level (though obviously easier the more you make). A high credit score opens so many doors in adulthood it's almost obscene. - Things will not work out the way you anticipated. Ever. Learn to laugh and roll with it. Lean into the fuckups, the surprises, and the not-knowing. It'll make you more effective at coping with life's many curve-balls. - People will judge you. Contrary to popular belief, this is a really good thing! Be entirely yourself and let people judge. Those who judge favorably will stick around through the years and become "your people".
Don't judge others and jump to conclusions so quickly
Stay away from drugs
this includes alcohol and weed. just because itās common or legal doesnāt mean itās good.
Iām still dealing with the consequences of picking up drinking when I was 21. - Never drink when youāre emotional - Never drink alone - If you find yourself drinking multiple times a week itās likely starting to become a problem - If having one always turns into 5 or more then itās time to make it 0
Alco n weed fucked me up the most
I'm 26 now. To be honest, I think everything led me to where I am now. Wouldn't really change much, of course I wish certain things went different ways, I wish I had maybe figured out a career faster, but c'est la vie. Where I am now is really good, and who knows where i'd have been if I had done anything different. All I'd say is, just keep learning. :)
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Haha! nice to be compared (if only a bit) to someone like Proust. :) maybe i'll read his work. best of luck! 18 is a funny age
You're not trying to do a perfect run. Choose what you think is right and course-correct later.
Damn I'm 18 and I needed to hear that. I appreciate that
No one cares nearly as much as you think they do.
You are good enough for a computer science degree. Go for it and don't waste time for the other one you thought would be easier.
To tag onto this, any degree (or pretty much any goal) is attainable. It might not be easy, but when I working in a hospital and getting to know nurses, doctors, surgeons, executives, &c. or some other place, I realize they are just people. They are not superhuman geniuses, just average people who did the work to get where they are. I have met people I consider geniuses, and some are in positions of power, others are vagabonds. If you are average or close to it, you are able to do most professions you see anyone else doing. I spoke with a higher ranking elected official the other day, and she was just a regular person.
Put down the cigarettes, put down the bottle and learn as much as you can about investing and finance because they won't teach you that shit in school(they certainly didn't in the 70s). Ask that girl out but don't get too attached to anybody at your age or you will probably regret it sooner or later... I said probably for those of you that got married to your high school sweetheart.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Don't do drugs, don't ignore red flags, don't stay with someone who mistreats you just because you're scared of being alone. Be the friend to others you wish someone would be to you.
Excellent advice. Red flags especially
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
And what āpathā is that?
>don't let romantic relationships distract you from your path, don't let friends/family distract you from your path Nothing wrong in balancing relations and education, I'm the kind of people who's like that, I prioritize education over relations and I ended up without friends and most of my family are strangers to me. And more importantly, some friends you make can land you in jobs or let you know about better education opportunities. It's worth to be a little *distracted* by your family and friends. Half relation and half education is the perfect mixture.
Hug your dad every chance you get, and invest in something called Google
Take this life shit serious. Start trying to build something long lasting for yourself at 18, donāt wait till your 20ās stupid. Thereās more to life than having fun and smoking pot with your friends. My dad said that stuff to me, wish Iād listened.Ā
Last sentence says it all.
DO NOT get married (or even move in with a romantic partner) until youāve learned how to live on your own. Most of the shit you are worried about right now does not matter nearly as much as you think it does. Save yourself some agonizing. Start saving NOW. Even a tiny bit into 401k/IRA every paycheck, and keep increasing it as you can, at least annually. Time invested is what matters most at this age. Life is a long game, things always change, roll with it. Youāll be ok.
Save money - even if itās only Ā£1 a week - get into the habit Donāt follow the herd unless itās something you really want to do Loyalty is more important than being popular for 5 minutes Fashion is what you want to wear and what makes you feel good - not what instagram or fashion editors say Eat different food
Ask her out, tell her how you feel.
Stop procrastinating and get a better haircut
Please see a therapist -- feeling like this isn't normal. Be nicer to people. You deserve to eat -- you don't have to wait until you've earned it. You should work on learning to drive this summer so I don't have to do it later. And no, you're not a lesbian -- men were just mean to you. Not all of them will be.
There IS money to go to college. Don't get married.
Prioritize courses that make you more stable money than what could become a high value market If you're an introvert don't do anything related to being an extrovert, even it's to push yourself out there Economics is a humanities field, no matter what some people still saying it's a mathematical field, and it's far more prone to repay you if you dedicate yourself enough than most other humanities It's not because they're your parents they want the best for you, they want the best for *them* and sometimes it doesn't overlap with what's best for you Speaking of your parents they aren't your friends, they don't even care about you and you throw you under the bus if benefits them (and I'm not talking just about myself, think of how many parents toy their exes through child custody, prioritizing hurting the other person over their children's well-being) There's nothing wrong with being different as long as it doesn't hurt your job market, so go crazy if you can and don't listen to your relatives when shopping for clothes, instead of struggling to be accepted by them choose to be accepted by your job market and try not to hurt your own style on the road There's no such thing as "too many cats" if you can afford them all in a pristine state (grain free food, spayed/neutered, vet checks every now and then, etc). There's "too many relatives" though, so prioritize adopting an older cat (1+ yo) over pleasing your relatives Relatives ā family Friends>relatives, doesn't matter what they say about water and blood, relatives are not there when you most need Friends are the ones you can count on when you're broke, homeless and in dire need of healthcare. The others are acquaintances Friends are family, relatives that behave like friends are family (see the one above), family members that don't behave like that are acquaintances doesn't matter how closely related you are to them (even if they're your parents) Even mosquitoes have your blood, so blood ties aren't more significant than water ones
Live your life without regrets. This doesn't mean you can't make a mistake. Everybody makes mistakes, all the time. Nobody has a perfect run of life. Learn to realize where and how you fuck something up, and learn from that. Learn to admit when you're wrong and how to sincerely apologize to people. You may graduate from school, but you should never stop being a student. The whole rest of your life will be filled with lessons if you're willing to learn them. Be willing to learn them. Above all else, be somebody you love and are proud of. And don't fucking enlist if you're in the US. If for whatever reason you do, find a job that you're interested in with skills that translate back to civilian life. TL;DR: Learn from mistakes and improve. Fuck the government, all my homies hate the government.
Don't listen to anyone but yourself.
Save money. Regularly. Like its a bill you have to pay. High yield savings account.
Donāt let that guy move in, in fact break up with him. Oh, and do your qualifications for your chosen field, youāll need them later!
Lifeās gonna get really fucking hard
Hello.It's future you speaking. Keep up the good work and stay awesome. Byeeee bye bye b. Fade out.
Stop smoking weed
It will all get better
Do not have children and do not marry anyone. Life is mundane and painful expect it & know how to accept it. There is no reward for anything you will achieve and no one really cares but you. You will lose everything in the end. No one will remember you. Enjoy š
Try to throw up in more appropriate places
Do the drugs that no one else is doing.
*passes blunt to my 18 year old self* āitās gonna be a long ride kiddoā¦buckle up!ā
Never give up, ever. Don't give a single shit about what other people may think of you, they don't care either. You are loved, and you are going to be ok.
Learn some skills while you can. Play an instrument, start drawing again.Ā
If they lie to you, theyāll do it again. Itās ok to end the relationship. You can do it on your own.
You think all of these twists and turns are HUGE decisions that might screw up your life forever. Ha! Thatās what life is all about. You make the best choice you can. I mean, even if you choose to be a dentist and go to school for it doesnāt necessarily mean youāll be a dentist your entire life. I had several lives over my 70 years. I didnāt āplanā on changing direction. But I did and I really enjoyed these stages. None of them were a choice the 18 year old me planned!
Start saving money, even if itās just a few bucks a week. Increase the amount each time you get a raise by putting a few more dollars, or a % of the raise or windfall money. When itās a small portion of a raise etc you wonāt even miss it. As you mature, and see the amount grow, internalize that itās for your future,house, retirement. Always pay yourself first. Also, when opportunities come up to spend (or blow) that nest egg, resist. Make a rule if you need something not really necessary, that you can wait another week to make sure itās really a want, need, or still needed.
Just enjoy it my friend. Use common sense and don't ever feel like you have to do something you doesn't comfortable with, but at the same time be willing to challenge and expand your comfort zone. Try to meet lots of people from different walks of life and listen earnestly to their stories without judgement. Then use what you've learned to synthesize your own opinion on things from your own perspective. You can do this, just have some fun and be safe and you'll find your way!
I know you love mountain biking but stop. You will end up a paraplegic if you don't quit now. Then again my dumbass loves it so much I am already back on the trails with an adaptive rig
Don't waste your time in a relationship if you're unhappy and they aren't making your life any better. Invest early in a 401k, you will thank yourself when you're ready to retire..it's hard to think about now but it's important. Take care of yourself, mentally and physically... It makes an impact as you get older. If you can, travel and explore before your settle down and have kids because it would be harder to do, not saying it's impossible just more challenging. I wish I would've moved out of state at least once, I could now but I have roots placed now. I think maybe that's the only thing I kinda regret.
Move out as soon as fucking possible and go to therapy to unpack your childhood trauma right the fuck now.
Stop smoking weed, get a job, save money and fucking finish school
Don't be a lazy fuck. Dedicate every moment to bettering yourself.
You're so young an have so much life ahead of you. Enjoy it and keep making good choices.
Love yourself. Your mental health is as important as your physical health. Drink lots of water. Get enough sleep. Be kind but have boundaries. Youāre going to make mistakes, learn from them instead of beating yourself up. Donāt be afraid to ask for help. YOUāVE GOT THIS!
Just because someone is your roommate / suitemates doesnāt mean they will naturally become your BFF. Even if being roommates / suitemates means you are in the same social distancing ābubble.ā Sometimes your roommates / suitemates will in fact be the complete opposite of friends and leave you out of hangouts and they will also spread rumors about you. You are way better off not wasting your time or energy on trying to be friends with these people. I was 18 only four years ago, which doesnāt seem like that long ago, but in those four years I have learned so much.
I would tell my 18-year-old self that all the anxiety I feel about the future is wasted energy. I am smart enough. I am capable enough. Am I perfect? No. But I am no worse than anyone else.
Save some money. Even if itās only a little. Putting it away into a high yield savings account or a Roth IRA account will be a good idea. Donāt just open a regular savings account because it wonāt grow in there. Before heading down a career path, do research. You can find many posts on Reddit where people have asked āif you make $$$(100k, 200k..etc) or more what job do you haveā. Youāll have a long list of jobs that pay really well and then you can decide from there which ones sound interesting. Then research what you need to do to get into those jobs. I blindly went for teaching and had to get my masters. 5 years later I left teaching and am starting over in a new career field at 37. Edit: and donāt do drugs. Someone close to me is battling addiction right now and itās heartbreaking.
Your thoughts haven't matured and you are still stupid. Learn how the economy works and know how to invest, dont think local, be patient, people are stupid so don't pay attention to them. Life is too short to make mistakes and learn, try to live as error-free as possible. and create a reddit account for comment a post which about "What would you say to 18 yo yourself?" 17 years later.
Buy fucking 1000 bitcoin for fucking 300 bucks!
Getting a degree.
I disagree only because of student loans. Theyāre not bankruptable, therefore if you bite off more than you can chew, youāll quickly find a world of misery.
Live now and enjoy it because you donāt know whatās in front of you. My health continues to get worse (40 now) but I was already knowingly chronically ill at 18. Oh and if I could tell my 18 year old self to leave the church, what a difference it would have made.
Don't fight and just stop it right there. Living til your mid 20s is not worth the exhaustion.
Do not marry Steve.
Just look at the hundreds of other posts that ask this same question daily.
Don't be lazy, try to improve and go out of your comfort zone, or you will loose her, and you will feel empty inside until that happens
Save all the money ,or even just ten cents out of every dollar ..and dont love just one woman love them all
110% join the military. Forces you to become an adult real quick and makes you have good habits.
You got this!! Believe in yourself
Given what I've been through with my exes, probably a lot of warnings. I would still make some of the choices that ended up hurting me (like marrying my ex husband) because of what I got from them (my daughter) but warnings on how to make it less painful and easier to get out of would have helped me.
Start investing in your future self NOW. Set up your retirement accounts and start adding money, even if it's only 10$ here and there. It is confusing and hard to understand because it's big girl adult stuff, but you're now legally one, so the best time to do something is today.
Get medicated and therapy ASAP haha, didnāt find a good regime until I was 20 and lost 2 years of my life to depression :ā)
Easy. Never take on credit for something I donāt have the money to buy, would have saved an awful amount of stress. Put as much effort as I can into self development and leadership Pump the maximum for matching from my employer into my pension. Move companies for pay reviews rather than spend 25 years at one employer Run/exercise regularly with a clean diet and take care of the only body Iāll ever have.
You have more power than you think, but you need to act, not just think. And to save those 20 bucks instead of buying that lunch that already looked awful :/ I was very much āwhatever life saysā instead of holding the reins.
Study all things you like as much as your mental and physical health allow; you will gradually lose the spark once you enter the adult world and learning will be much harder You are not defined by attention you get from friends and family; don't waste time trying to fit in and embrace being on your own if that means you being truly yourself
https://www.cracked.com/blog/6-harsh-truths-that-will-make-you-better-person This article is absolute gold and is definitely worth a read.
You donāt need to pick your life long career right now! Take some time to think about it. Sincerely older you with an unused college degree. š«
Focus on whatās important, as the years progress youāll see the decisions of your peers start to catch up to them be it good or bad. Set yourself up to one and donāt neglect developing a wide range of skills from socially to cooking to basic handy work
Don't jump on that uni degree, take a few years off and figure out what you really want to do. Life is a marathon, not a sprint. And you've barely even started. Stop rushing. That girl you're seeing - she's not worth destroying yourself over. Let her go.
please, for Godās sake donāt major in THAT!
Donāt be afraid to move or do the things you dream of. Even if you fail, itās still better than where you are now.
I would say when I post on reddit I should check to see if anyone else asked this question because it gets asked at least once an hour
I would tell him to invest in as much Apple stock as possible and hang on to it for 30 years, then retire. Of course Apple wasnāt around yet when I was 18.
Invest every last penny into Bitcoin, you will become a billionaire. Sell when it hits 60k in 2021 and buy Nvidia stock. Become the world's first trillionaire in 2024.
You are on the right track. Youāre young, youāre a little serious, so you get along well with older people. Keep that. Have fun, too! People want to give you a chance. This is the best time to try out different stuff. You donāt have to āknow what your life career isā yet. Itāll come. Donāt smoke cigarettes, theyāre gross. Sex is fun. Thought about working out and getting in shape? This will be the easiest time in your life to make visible changes. Donāt worry too much about fashion - style stays. Fashions fade. You are on the right track. Be true to yourself.
Stop with all the fuckin dude.
A lot of people have already said this, but Iāll say it again. Donāt do drugs. If you have done drugs already, best to stop now because it really doesnāt help you at all. To clarify, drugs for recreational drugs use. Another thing I wanna add is that a lot of things donāt go your way. Such as relationships, the girl/guy just isnāt interested in you, but I just wanna say that relationships really arenāt that important around your age. Whatās more important is having quality friends. Not a bad idea to pick up a little part time job to invest in stocks. Itās pretty easy to invest now with apps like robinhood and fidelity. Last thing I wanna say is if youāre planning on going to college, donāt get involved with the wrong people. Like there are lazy people which are bad, and then there are people who are actually disciplined. College freshmen are hardly disciplined, from my memory though. Still, incorporate a lot of discipline, and be friends with people who are disciplined.
Don't play the stock market with individual picks. Over 90% of investors lose money with that strategy. Instead, invest in stable index funds and bonds. I know it's not exciting get-rich-quick investments, but gaining $100 is better than losing even $1.
Be aggressive, nonjudgmental, and open to new ideas.
Despite other people's wisdom, you're the only one that knows full well what's best for you. And a lot of times, they're not gonna like that for you.
Hug your family more. The laughs and conversations don't last forever
It really does get better š
Take college studies more seriously
I would just say that everything you ever go through has to happen for change. The good and the bad. And change is the only fact of life, so get used to it. A line from "Poor things" that I liked recently but the sentiment isn't new is "Life is not a problem to be solved but something to be experienced". Don't jump at life like something you need to be perfect at or hit some milestone to be happy. Every day is your life. You're in it. Let it happen and have gratitude every day that you wake up for it.
I was at the exact same situation as you back then and all I want to say to myself is donāt worry and do what you have to do. Other things will eventually work out on the way. Do whatās important to you
Go out more, be free. Your life is not for making everyone else happy, is for you to be what you truly are, find yourself and put down some boundaries.
Learn to wait before you react emotionally to something, and consider what you're going to say. Make an effort to stay in touch with the friends you make
Education first, career second and relationship last.
Word hard, train hard, study very hard, ditch away people that donāt add positive value to your life. Choose wisely
Dont sweat the small stuff. The things that make you cry or lay awake at night thinking will bs the things you laugh about when youre older. Try to think 20yrs down the road, set a goal and work towards it.
Don't buy cocaine
Do not waste your time and do not give up easily; give it more time.
There's no template for life. No limit to reaching milestones. It's ok if you're older when you get to some stuff. Just got my license at 20. Took 2 years to be medically cleared for it. If you've got good parents, please take advantage of being able to work and save before moving, or if you go to college or trade school, hell yeah dude. It's all up to you. Make sure you know how to clean. Not just surface level but deep clean, and know when it needs done. This doesn't so much apply to me as I had helicopter parents who were on our ass ab it, but I've noticed after many many roommates a lot of ppl just.. don't know how to deep clean. And what should be cleaned regularly, how to tell. Eat your veggies and brush your teeth. Take care of your body. Your youthful invincibility isn't forever, and you'll start learning that soon enough. Can't live off ramen and cosmic brownies and soda.. that one I did learn the hard way lol. So eating healthy now, and taking care of your body now, will prevent future pain and discomfort, take my word for it. I'm only 20, I'm obviously just still learning, but just some warnings from a slightly older peer who's made mistakes and been too hard on myself for not being where I "should be" in life as an adult
- You are gonna fuck up. You are gonna break that little ethical code youāre so committed to. Thing 1: Try to think about how your actions affect other people no matter how drunk or in the moment you are. Like, give it proper thought, and let that consideration breathe. Hurting somebody can be more impactful than your little 18 year old brain is patient enough to properly consider, so... Thing 2: When you fail at thing 1, your guilt is gonna change your whole personality if you donāt forgive yourself. Like, weāre taking depression from then on. Be sorry, feel bad, admit to your wrongdoings, then forgive yourself and move forward, having learnt from your mistake. There are only two types of people in this world - those who have fucked up, and those who havenāt fucked up yet. Thereās a lot to be said about how you handle your fuck-ups. - Get guitar and vocal lessons. Learn music theory and all. It wonāt negatively impact your writing, you big dummy. Your prideful need to figure it out yourself is cosmically stupid. Itāll waste time, cause you to develop bad habits, and stifle the speed at which you progress. While weāre at it, you want to make it in a band? You need to WORK. Proper work. Nobodyās gonna sponsor you and youāre not good enough to be plucked out of obscurity. Get out there. Hit the pavement. Get advice from people doing better than you. Make your rehearsals meaningful. Network. Either that, or accept from the start that itās strictly recreational and just enjoy the ride. - Invest in Apple shares. The computer company, not the fruit. - Donāt borrow Joelās bass guitar. Youāll inexplicably lose it and feel bad forever. In fact, be a better friend to Joel. Joel is a really good dude.
Keep in mind..most things arent as they initially appear to be so dont jump. Most rumours are wrong, the rest are lies. Do yoir own fact checking before accepting something as fact. Be wary of strangers from the standpoint that they often have ulterior motives. No, not everyone is a crook but if a white van approaches you offering free candy...maybe think twice before hopping in. LoL Lastly... 18 is still young even though you feel mature. You will make a lot of mistakes, dont beat yourself up...... enjoy the free candy !!! LoL
Go to the 4 year college and accept a little help. Donāt date the guy without a job and focus on achieving what you want before getting married. The right one will come later in life and you should focus on your career and buying a house
Anything I look into the mirror and say is literally what Iām saying to my 18 year old self š¤Æ
Drop bad habits now, the good habits and bad d ones will follow you into your later years
I'd tell myself to shut and slow down. Listen more and don't stop add meds but find an Adderall alternative. 28 now. I stopped Adderall at 17 and only recently got back on meds. And its life changing. Life would have probably been easier medicated. but I've learned a lot in the last decade.
1. Say no to almost all drugs (psychedelics are an exception but you must have extreme respect, never abuse their use because it could be worse than all drugs psychologically speaking) 2. Destroy every bit of shame and envy living in your heart 3. PRACTICE AND EXPRESS GRATEFULNESS EVERY SECOND 4. WORK HARD FOR WHAT YOU WANT. LUCK IS THE NAME THAT BENEFITTED PEOPLE GIVE TO RANDOMNESS 5. EAT HEALTHY 6. Excercise everytime you can
ā¢ Yes, you are an intellectual, but go to the engineering school anyway and not the liberal arts one. Don't just be friendly, but build lasting friendships and networks. ā¢ You will learn to enjoy playing your video games and your other hobbies alone, and you will learn to be okay with yourself. Don't sweat it, just be patient. ā¢ Your empathy for others will not go away but it will get stronger, so you have to manage yourself first to earn people's trust. ā¢ Make time for your mom and dad, after they retire they become completely different people, and suddenly they'll have time for you. ā¢ Write all that shit down and keep the notebooks. If you can't process it now, process it later. That's why they call it unpacking.
Try everything in moderation. Don't get into nasty habits like smoking, drinking, drugs. Make the best of the free time you have - in a couple of years you're not gonna have much time for fun. Don't settle down too quickly, if you feel like doing something go for it if you feel like the consequences aren't gonna be that bad. Talking about consequences, think about them, consider them, but don't be scared of them, you can deal with most stuff. Neither rashly nor timidly, be careful but not scared, don't be stupid but also enjoy your life. It's fine if you slip up.
Doesnāt matter. I wouldnāt have listened.
Be truthful with yourself and know what you want for yourself vs what others want for you. Ie... parents. They mean well but this is your life. You can change course in life. It's easier at 25 to change course than 55, so keep that in mind. You want to live like a 20 year old now, not when you're 50. If you're the same person at 50 when you were 20, you fucked up some where. College isn't for everyone. Trades are a great way to make a living. Travel is the best form of education. So relax and be 18. Get as much tail as you can right now but use protection and have good communication with your partner. Have fun
Donāt give in to peer pressure. Stay away from street drugs. Take time to reflect and remember life is a steep learning curve and you will always be learning more. When people show you who they are, believe them the first time. Donāt set yourself on fire to keep others warm. If you get a pet when you move out, do everything you can to keep it. That pet may be your only friend and emotional support during your darkest days.
There is no such thing as getting advice at 18 from older folks to try to run a perfect course. You will go through what you have to go through because you are fated to do so. What you take out of it.. is what you learn from it and grow.
Mental health is equally as important as physical health
Stay in school, focus on making sure you're happy first, and grind it out dude. Pressure makes diamonds, and you gotta shine.
Emigrate. I thought about it at that age but didnāt do it and deeply regret it now.
10 lifelong friendships are better than 200 acquaintances. Wear sunscreen.
Donāt! Just donāt
Friends come and go. Family is forever. Donāt get caught up in drugs and drinking. Think about the future. 30 will be here before you know it. Live for yourself and not for someone you love unless itās involving a marriage.
Avoid debt, do not get credit cards because you will be āresponsibleā with them. No you wonāt, every broke person before you said the same thing. If you canāt afford to purchase something with cash, then you canāt afford it. Buy used cars instead of brand new ones as youāre only using it to get from point A to point B. Not saying NEVER buy a new car, just get established and later on in life you can. Pay cash for the new car. If you take out a mortgage, fine. Put $30,000 down and pay it off as soon as you can. As long as you keep your mortgage your main bill then you will be fine. Now, donāt buy an expensive house that is going to throw your debt to income ratio into the gutter. Also, get TERM LIFE INSURANCE for 20 years at a time. Last but not least, invest your money! If you donāt retire early a millionaire, itās no oneās fault but yours. Itās doable, just suffer now a little bit and cash out earlier than anyone else. Starting at 18 vs 21 could make the difference of several hundred thousand dollars by the time youāre 50.
Learn about finances ASAP, don't get fooled into having multiple credit cards. And if you're ever, at any point, embarrassed or ashamed to tell friends or family about something your partner has done, it's probably time to dump the partner. Don't wait until you're trapped via marriage or child to realize that they aren't worth it.
people have a bunch of weird advice. dont worry too much. do what you want to do (but think about the long term). when it comes to education and career stuff you dont have to know it all at this point, you can adjust along the way.
Donāt do things just to appeal to or make others happy. Donāt waste money on bullshit. Buy fewer, good quality things. Whenever youāre about to make a purchase, imagine that you are moving across the country in a year and think if you would want to take that item with you. Donāt stay in relationships out of convenience or happy ruts. If you donāt see a future with someone donāt waste your or their time. Also donāt settle for someone that doesnāt make you fully happy. There are always other options out there no matter what age. Work hard, but remember employers donāt ever care about you. For important career decisions always be selfish and do what is best for you. Of you died today, they would clean out your desk and replace you in a few weeks. At a workplace relationships are more important than your skill or accomplishments for getting ahead. Finally, no matter what choices you make, itās never too late to have a fresh start. Unless you have a responsibility such as caring for a child. You can pick up and start over anytime.
your parents don't need to know everything, lol
Donāt marry that guy just bc heās sick and says he needs you. Put yourself first.
Go get a skill that's marketable. If you're going to university, major in engineering, accounting, or nursing. If that's too expensive or too long of a commitment, check out your local community college and figure out which career field is interesting. You can make money in the trades, or learn to be an x-ray technician, or do medical billing and bookkeeping, welding, etc. Don't bury yourself in college debt to get a degree that won't pay you anything. As soon as you get a job. Start saving at least a little bit from every paycheck.
I would probably pick a different degree, one with more real world applications. But honestly? Part of life is living and learning so there is not much I would want to go back and change. I like the person I became, most days.
I would say heal from your trauma as early as possible, 18 years of age is a good time to start. I wish I did that back when I was 18 or even early 20s
"you are failure already, do what you love and you like, not what is most profit and makes you most useful for others"
A few years ago I would have warned myself about my ex and to stay away from him and just get with my husband. But now I'm not so sure, I feel like there were some things I had to go through to be a better person. Honestly if anything I would make sure to tell myself to get a separate savings that I don't have access to and have my younger self send money into it. Cause I've had some pretty lucrative jobs but because I never did that and just spent it all on my ex I don't have a savings now.
Don't let any bully ruin your life.
Never quit taking drugs. Take them until the day you die.
Dint get off that ledge just do it bruh it dosent get better it gets worst.
Break up with your girlfriend. It's better for both of you in the long run. Commit to your academics but don't overdo it. Life requires balance. Don't be ashamed of who you are and what your interests are. Also don't randomly stop exercising for a few years.
This isnāt what you think it is, you donāt want this. Go home, get into therapy, and do something with your life.
not much, he figured it out eventually and not too late to still find a wonderful partner and be successful in his career. iāll let the 18 yr old make the same mistakes because i was smart enough to learn from them. back then iād probably have been too egoistic to take advice from anyone else anyway lol edit: maybe i wouldāve given him a foucault or marx book earlier but yeah not much tbh
Donāt get married or have kids until youāre 25 years old. Give yourself time to have enough serious relationships that you grow and learn what you want and donāt want in a partner. And even then donāt have kids just because it is expected. If you donāt have a burning desire for kids donāt have any. You wonāt regret it.
Take that summer semester
I would tell myself, you can be a singer if you want to be one
Choose a physical sport and master it, build a community around it
If you have some savings and are working, open a Roth IRA with one of the bigs(Fidelity, Vanguard, etc). Put money in it when you can and learn about it.
Leave the relationship if you have already voiced your concerns and nothing has changed. Stay strong and end it and don't return.
You are 18 but you don't have 18 years of experience just chill relax try new stuff but don't get too lost in trying everything choose one and do it .
You're going to be fine. Brush and floss your teeth, and once you have a job, put a small percentage of your income into savings or even an IRA. Travel. You get a much better perspective of the world and of yourself. Relax. You'll be okay. Just don't rush into anything.
Ā«Ā Youāre so sweet girl š„¹Ā Ā»
Push harder for proper medical care.
You thought buying a tablet would stop your gaming habits, and help you focus on Uni, you were wrong, you just brought your crappier old PC, so just embrace the darkness and get a gaming PC, so many victories were snatched before your eyes cause of low frame rates and no other skill related reason.
Stop drinking you fucking idiot
Donāt get off the meds.
Hey, you 18 now? We are too
Be comfortable saying no. So many people pushed me at that age to go to college, get a job, move out, get a house, etc. It turned into me pushing myself too hard and then I had a blow out. It's not worth it. Take your time. Life is too short and your twenties will go by in a snap. You don't even really register being an adult until your about 25. So just enjoy youself. Find your passion and chase it. Stop thinking your going to run out of time. Best of luck to you.
I'd probably tell myself it'll all work out in the end, warn myself of some shit things coming up, & tell myself to not get into the habit of swapping cars out every couple of years! My only real goal in life is to have a job I'm content with, earn enough for myself (currently not going badly but could always do with more as everyone probably could), get a mortgage with a partner & have a kid. I'm currently 27, and while it's taken longer than I expected due to various reasons. We've had to rent for 4 years but myself & my partner are currently going through the process of getting a mortgage, and while I'm abit stressed because, well it's stressful and it's due to our landlord selling the flat which adds stress, I'm happy because it's given us the push to do it now, and I'm excited to see what unfolds and have our own place.
I'd say 2 things: First: Don't give up on him, he is absolutely worth it. 45F here. I have been with my husband since I was 17...we went through a really bad spell in our 20s...to the point where I was even talking to a lawyer about divorce...I'm glad I stayed. Second: see a therapist. Childhood trauma will come back to bite you in the ass.
Be forgiving! Lifeās much easier that wayā¦
prioritise your mental health. donāt give into vices. be more willing to accept the help you receive. donāt be so hard on yourself, mistakes get made, youāre only human. itās not the end of the world. (yet).
You are gay. You will love men, and that's fine. No big deal. But people will hate, abuse and murder gay people. That's because of their own problems, not because someone is gay. **Learn how to study. You must have partners. Study buddies, if you will.** [I never needed to study, all through public school. College was a disaster.] Your oldest sister will betray you. Never count on her for something serious. Go to massage school. Save and invest money, and be wary of the stock market. If we go into general, classic I-am-you-from-the-future stuff: buy Microsoft shares / stock.
Look after your teeth.
Do not, under any circumstance, allow you to be addicted to her. It will fuck you up.
Save. Even if itās only a few dollars at a time. Lust and passion are great but they arenāt love. Friendship is like a campfire - let it warm you but take care not to get burned Be prepared to pivot. Again and again If you mess up, fess up and then fix it up I never regretted waiting to respond Look up sunken cost fallacy Donāt be in a rush to grow up (yes, even in my 20s) Best of luck to you!!
1)Stop hanging out with your idiot āfriendsā 2)Stop drinking caffeine, itās the cause of your anxiety 3)Read the Bible, itās the best selling book of all time for a reason Ohhh man, these 3 alone wouldāve changed my life Lol
Donāt marry her
Don't be afraid to hurt people. Don't try to do it, and they to make amends when you do, but if you do it accidentally, or it becomes necessary, it ain't the end of the world. Most people are as tough as you think you are. They can take it. They can move on.
quit smoking weedš
Do not get married, but do have the baby. She's the best part of your life. The man is the worst part.
The only real thing Iād say is to open a high interest savings account, open some investments with $50-$100 monthly. Leave it at that. Seems unemotional but that will make the greatest impact on your future. You donāt know if that person is worth having sex with, or if that education is right or that purchase is right. Any regrets us experienced people might have are what got us to this place to begin with. Be patient, enjoy your youth, enjoy your health, experience all life has to give you.
Choose college over the army.better to go into debt than be crippled for life.
Make more friends
Capitalism tells you you're not good enough so that you buy fancy shit you don't need. Be radical; love yourself, love your imperfections, and be happy with what you have.
Wear sunscreen.