Things you wish you did when you were 18

Lucky Leprechaun

Hello, I’m a fairly new poster I’m quite foreign to the forum so forgive my ignorance. I wasn't entirely sure where to post this. I’m eighteen years old…male. I’m in my final year of secondary school, the leaving cert is a little over a month away and I’m in the phases of entering into adulthood.

I very much so have a lack of direction in life…I’m not really sure where I’m heading or what exactly what I want to do. I was wondering if you were 18 again, what things did you do/ wish you did that would benefit you now?

For example: Study, Learn an instrument, or learn a language. What advice would you give someone starting off in life?

What lessons and morals have you learned?

Thank you,
A.

Blacktie.

Been more serious about fitness. Not like it's an issue now but man if I knew then what I know now I could fuel them workouts with a nice natural cycle of test!

syklops

A J1 to New York.

Also wished I'd saved more money. And by more I mean some.

Staplor

Ride everything you can, that gives permission to do so

Mister Vain

I wish I partied more.

I wish I had the confidence I have now.

I wish I rode that blonde girl when I had the chance.

johnny osbourne

wear sunscreen

Dravokivich

I'd advise you make things happen.

I just let my youngerness walk on by me. I only really started doing in my mid 20's what i shouldve done when i was a lot younger.

Go out and get to know people. ive seen the world get a whole lot smaller over the last 15 years. Embrace it. Organise a weekend away here and there with mates if funds allow. Dont need to be abroad or particularly fancy. Hostels are cheap enough.

summer is coming, its not quite winter but with the longer days is a good time to go out cycling. Just get out and get to know the places around you or beyond. You might end up finding somewhere cool to just chill out or even hang out with mates.

If you havent done so yet. Arrange with your folks or someone else in your family to learn to drive. only thing i really resent not doing and not having the time for it now.

RonanP77

Study and work hard in college.

Take up swimming and running.

Do as many girls as possible but always wear protection.

Take a year off after college to travel before settling down.

DON'T DO DRUGS, or if you do just remember that the 6' rubber chicken isn't really there and isn't trying to kill you.

tritium

If I could give the 18 year old me all the wisdom I know now, it wouldnt make a difference because that person and the person I am now are two very different people, and only the experiences I've had since then could make me understand how and why that is. That said, if I had to offer some advice of the things looking back I now wish I'd done sooner or differently:

Travel, take some time over the next 5or 6 years and be able to say you've seen and done something different. Note to self-dont just go to the trendy places

Get involved, make friends, don't be shy. Most everyone your age will have the same fears and insecurities you may have to at least some degree.

If you're going to college (I recommend you do) enjoy it but work hard. If you get the balance right it's a lot of fun but will set things nicely for the future.

Look after your body. Its the finest machine you'll ever own, and when it begins to slow down its hard to get that back. Enjoy the peak of your physical existence.

Enjoy where you are but be aware that so many of the things you're certain about now, you'll have a completely different view of in a few years.

Oh, and take lots of photos, I recommend that. There's a small but significant part of my life where I didn't, I wish I had...

Maryanne84

If you're not sure of what you want to do, take a year out. Get a job - any job. If you can, do any available classes in things that interest you.

If I was 18 again, I'd have learned to swim and not done the waste of a College course I did!

ancapailldorcha

Dravokivich wrote: »

If you havent done so yet. Arrange with your folks or someone else in your family to learn to drive. only thing i really resent not doing and not having the time for it now.

I've only just got my provisional. Not looking forward to paying for less, that's for sure.

Lucky Leprechaun

Wow what great advice so far all though I don’t think many will surpass “6' rubber chicken isn't really there and isn't trying to kill you.” Some things though really have stuck out:

“serious about fitness”
“saved more money”
“confidence”
“make things happen”
“It’s the finest machine you'll ever own”

I love all this input and different perspectives thank you.

mikom

Lucky Leprechaun wrote: »

“serious about fitness”
“saved more money”
“confidence”
“make things happen”
“It’s the finest machine you'll ever own”

Reads like the thoughts of Patrick Bateman.

Dravokivich

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

I've only just got my provisional. Not looking forward to paying for less, that's for sure.

Time is the main thing holding me back on it. But the cost after that is only slightly... unapproachable i suppose. When i was younger money was much more disposable so to say. Learning of some basic resposibilites, but also to enjoy. as one should in their youth.

Lucky Leprechaun

What about dreams and passions and following them? What are your opinions on that?

sweetie

Lucky Leprechaun wrote:

What about dreams and passions and following them? What are your opinions on that?

If you can get a job in something that you are passionate about then you'll never 'work' a day in your life. Many people like myself in a decent job that they dislike.

Another piece of advice; never settle for second best.

ancapailldorcha

Dravokivich wrote: »

Time is the main thing holding me back on it. But the cost after that is only slightly... unapproachable i suppose. When i was younger money was much more disposable so to say. Learning of some basic resposibilites, but also to enjoy. as one should in their youth.

Fair enough. I'm 27, not far from 28 so I'm not that young anymore.

Maryanne84

Don't ask yourself "Is this love?" If you have to ask, it's not. You'll know when it is!

syklops

Lucky Leprechaun wrote: »

What about dreams and passions and following them? What are your opinions on that?

You rarely regret doing things, but its common to regret not doing things.

Pawwed Rig

I would love to have spent a year or two in China. Wonderful country and people.

Alkers

Keep your friendships alive, if you move to college, make an effort to keep in touch with your school friends, make contact again with anyone you've fallen out of touch with and make an effort to have a few gatherings with old friends each year.

Get into the habit of saving, even a small amount when you can. Its a great habit if you can get into it from an early age, even 5% of what you earn can add up over time.

If you do go to college, don't break your balls to get good grades but make sure you don't end up flunking. You can seriously set back your life vs your friends' if you end up having to repeat a few years or the likes.

Think long and hard about what career to go far and do consider earnings also. I ended up in something that I do like but when I compare my earnings to my friends who were behind me in school, it can be very frustrating.

Travel, but consider who your going with, I've "wasted" what could have been a few great holidays by going on the lash for the entire time. By all means, go on the boozy, party holidays but if you're going somewhere far away or for a few months, a big group of you can prevent you from meeting new people and experiencing places for what they are with the locals.

ancapailldorcha

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

I would love to have spent a year or two in China. Wonderful country and people.

Have you been? I'm seriously considering doing TEFL in Japan depending on my employment situation next year.

johnny osbourne

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

Fair enough. I'm 27, not far from 28 so I'm not that young anymore.

arra your only a young lad

drunkmonkey

The advice in this song is pretty accurate, you won't realise it now though. Make the most of the next 12 years and experience as much as you can in it, it'll stand to you when your older. Don't smoke cigarettes, save the price of a packet of cigarettes every day. Look before you jump. Don't be afraid to talk to pretty girls.

i'll leave you with a quote from Tony Montana
"In this country, you gotta make the money first. Then when you get the money, you get the power. Then when you get the power, then you get the women."

metrosity

Lucky Leprechaun wrote: »

Hello, I’m a fairly new poster I’m quite foreign to the forum so forgive my ignorance. I wasn't entirely sure where to post this. I’m eighteen years old…male. I’m in my final year of secondary school, the leaving cert is a little over a month away and I’m in the phases of entering into adulthood.

I very much so have a lack of direction in life…I’m not really sure where I’m heading or what exactly what I want to do. I was wondering if you were 18 again, what things did you do/ wish you did that would benefit you now?

For example: Study, Learn an instrument, or learn a language. What advice would you give someone starting off in life?

What lessons and morals have you learned?

Thank you,
A.

I'd say I wish I could have been more aware. Learn about the world. Read between the lines. Take a step outside yourself and see what's been influencing you over the years, what's been programming you, distinguish between who you are and who/what is the mask you've been given or chosen to wear. Read about people that grew up with modest possessions and had clearer, less muddled minds. What was important in their lives? How did they live at 18?

Might sound a bit deep, but that's what I'd do. Forget about a year in Australia or something like that. If you do "take a year out" (the Earth will still complete 1 full revolution around the sun btw.), make it spartan - a year of reflection and renewal. That's my opinion. It would certainly help if you could find others to do that with. I'd start by learning about who Alan Watts is. At your age, his work is a good introduction to reflection etc.

And one more thing, if you get out of the rat race, you're out, and it's hard to go back into it. Don't get too soft. You didn't get here without 1,000's of generations of tribal warfare and sex.

If you have too much time to think, you can be too much of a thinker and not enough of a doer. If you want to avoid doing, then the life of a monk might suit you and that's commendable too.

keeponhurling

RonanP77 wrote: »

Do as many girls as possible but always wear protection.

These

johnny osbourne

mine for gold

metrosity

johnny osbourne wrote: »

mine for gold

Haha! This

johnny osbourne

metrosity wrote: »

Haha! This

there's gold in them thar hills

dutopia

Travel, travel, travel.

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

Karen who I was in college with. Missed out big time there.