Things you wish you'd done at 18 ?

Hey all,

Wanted to start a thread about what some of you wish you'd done when you were 18 years old!

Seems to me lots of people on the board are pretty wise, and being 18 I though some of you might have advice for some of us starting out on their own.

Save as much as you can ? Sleep with every woman possible D) ? What would you recommend ?

 

I have quite a few regrets from around the age of 18. One of them was defnitely take the relationship I was "sorta" (long story) in more seriously. Just to see where it would have gone.

I wish I had the mentallity I have now, back then. Granted it's only 8 years since I was 18, but I've changed a lot.

 

Enjoy your full head of hair, it'll be gone sooner than you think!

 

FAIL

Seriously... try things that you are likely to fail at but you still want to give a shot. Follow your dreams not your logic. You will have time for logic later.

Take advantage of your limited responsibilities (read FREEDOM) NOW before they grow.

Date a porn star...its fun. Join a band or be a roadie...definately fun. Travel the world... Party like theres no tomorrow. Get it all out of your system (you may say its not in your system but the future may show otherwise).

Do all of this for a year or so before entering college (if thats your plan)

Im positive my views will be anathema to most on this board cuz yer all too stuffy and conformist

Im very fortunate in that I did everything I ever wanted to when I was young. No regrets or 'wish I had' here.

 

I can't argue with any of that.. actually, it sounds like I typed it up!

On that note, I have to focus on the "you may say its not in your system but the future may show otherwise" part. I've seen too many people jump into relationships, get the car, kids, mortgage, etc and then realize that they didn't actually enjoy their life when they were young and free to do so. Most of the time they end up divorced, bitter.. and awkwardly trying to party with 23 year-olds at the local club (my apologies to anyone I might have offended with that observation).

Point is, you need to build experiences. If you fail, succeed, get off track.. it doesn't matter. But at least you have that reserve of past information to draw from and bring with you into the future without wondering "what if".

 

Def do as much girls as possible and leave the feelings for later . Even if they arent as attractive as you wish , just have fun .

 

Seriously, DON'T ABUSE YOUR BODY!!! I was pretty "active" during my days and had broken a few bones. Im only in my mid 30's now (with a full head of hair BTW! ) and already I feel like an old bastard in cold, damp mornings. Don't do the drugs too! It'll just make you more stupid. Besides, an 18 year old can only get away with certain things!

 

This might sound corny, but to be totally honest the only youth regrets I have are not doing a sport (more than just weight lifting) or staying in martial arts classes, and not staying in piano lessons. When moving around a lot it with money being tight those fell by the wayside.

 

+1 Failures are more devestating later in life; more difficult to recover from financially, physically and mentally. Get out & travel... see the world before college. Then go to the college YOU want.

 

I used to hate it when my parents would force me to go to Judo classes, now Im glad I did it (still pretty active after 29years!). My kids are totally into it and they get upset when they don't go to their Judo practices.

 

That's probably the best advice I've ever heard.

Now honestly, did you really date a porn star? If so, I want names!

 

All of the advice here is great. I'dd suggest the following:

Experience as many things as you can. One of my ex's dad's (who was 65 at the time) said he always wanted to try skydiving. I knew he'd never do it. I went out the next week and signed up for flying lessons. When you're older, you won't be able to do as much as you can now. Try something new every single day. A new restaurant, learn something new, travel somewhere new, meet a new person, etc.

As someone mentioned, don't get too serious with one particular girl. I went to a big university and stupidly dated one girl for the majority of my time there, who was not marriage material. Looking back, I passed up A LOT of opportunities to date around and find the right one. Once you're out of school it becomes more difficult.

Boring advice: I recommend opening up a Roth IRA. Compound interest is your friend when you're that young. Have fun with your money, but stash some of it. You'll be way ahead of everyone else. Don't screw up your credit. Don't buy crap you don't need.

Travel and see as many different places as you can. I never did that when I was younger because I didn't have the money and didn't think I deserved to travel. As a result, I haven't been to nearly enough places. Seeing other cultures will impact your life immensely.

Be a stud. Do crazy things with your friends that you can look back on when you're 40 and laugh about.

I'm jealous.

 

Kiki D'aire ....great girl but Im a commitmentphobe

 

I would have attended a college close to home, lived at home, and done remedial work on my weak subjects (math and science), then gone for medical school.

I also would have done a lot less drinking and sleeping around.

Thankful I never fell in with the druggie crowd.

 

For now, study hard, party hard, travel far, learn to surf/sky dive/ride motorcycles fast/and anything else your body and wife won't let you do later in life. Don't skip Spring Break to study.

Take fun menial manual labor blue collar jobs; like cop, firefighter, ocean lifeguard, ski lift operator, construction work, truck driver; that will piss off your mom who thinks you should be a Doctor/Lawyer/Businessman(there is plenty of time for that when your body can't do the other stuff so well). Try selling something, ANYTHING, one summer. At school, don't be afraid to be on the five year plan, but don't be on the 6-10 year plan either.

Be brave enough to take reasonable financial risks with investments in things that you do and learn. At this point don't put yourself in ANY debt for THINGS!

Don't do drugs, you might be able to handle them without getting yourself addicted or in trouble, but you might not, and that is NOT a reasonable risk.

As for women, use protection no matter how clean you think she is, how many times she tells you she is on the pill, or how much you think you love her. Don't get tied to any one girl who does not light up ALL of your buttons. Let yourself be hurt early, with inconsequential relationships, but when she is the right one, and deep down you will know, be willing to go to the ends of the Earth to be with her.

Hold off on heavy savings for about four or five years, but put away a little now and you won't have a hard time doing it later. In four-five years start to save all the money you can. If you have a few bucks left over at the end of the year now, stick it some where agressive within a Roth IRA.

Be true to YOUR values and morals. Allow yourself to learn new values from fraternities, school groups and friends, but don't let that change who you are. Let yourself be guided by love and honesty, and know when popular/trendy thought is hiding hatered and evil.

 

drink less
invest more

 

C'mon, thats half the fun when you're 18!

He's 18, what the hell would he invest in!?

 

LOL. Nice!

 

I think its time to use these:
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Seriously... try things that you are likely to fail at but you still want to give a shot. Follow your dreams not your logic. You will have time for logic later.

Take advantage of your limited responsibilities (read FREEDOM) NOW before they grow.

Date a porn star...its fun. Join a band or be a roadie...definately fun. Travel the world... Party like theres no tomorrow. Get it all out of your system (you may say its not in your system but the future may show otherwise).

Do all of this for a year or so before entering college (if thats your plan)

Im positive my views will be anathema to most on this board cuz yer all too stuffy and conformist

I'm very fortunate in that I did everything I ever wanted to when I was young. No regrets or 'wish I had' here.

Listen to Jerry this is some great advise.

Go to college a couple of years and then take a couple of years off. Keep the good grades but get some yah yahs out. take lite course load. I played in punk rock bands when I took two years off from school in 77-79 and had the time of my life and had experiences my friends and I still talk about. No one wants to see some 50 year old trying to be a rock star.

There is plenty of time to make $$ when you are older. Be financilay iresponcable and by the toys you want and have fun. In my 20's I had a Ferrari Lusso, OSCA MT4, Lotus Turbo, TVR and Alfa GVT6. It is harder to get in and out of a real sports car when your 50. Wifes and girlfriends put the hold on your wallet and spend your money on junk and it becomes harder to get stuff you want.

Do what you want and go where your dreams take you. Travel and meet people get thier # and keep it in a note book and keep in touch. Relationships I have built in my 20's have lasted me and helped me out in the last 30 years. I have 1200+ names in my card file. I can call Sting, Billy Idol or Ona Zee and wish them a happy birthday if I want to.

Warning Don't get married early wait you may change in your 30's. Warning

Failure- No such thing it's all a learning experience (Unless someone is bleeding)

When you are older it is hard to get folks together to have fun. Every one I know works all the time and that is what I end up doing as well because ther is no one to play with. ( 7 year old not inc.) I like what I do so no worries.

Retirement is over rated take mini retirements 2-4 months at a time.

Warning -Stay away from credit cards. The white mans slave tool- Warning

Just some advise from a geezer.

 

My regret was not going straight to college at 18 after graduation, I worked for 2 years in sales & various grunt jobs until I went. It felt strange starting my freshman year at the age of 20.

 

i wish i had of partied more, and hung out with friends from high school a little more. i talk to a number of friends from high school on a regular basis, but there's quite a few i haven't seen or heard from since i graduated.

 

Sounds like you're having a hard time letting go. I suggest you cut back on the moonshine and the "puff the magic dragons" :wink: cause its time to head back down to earth!

 

You'd be surprised.

I couldn't agree more. I was told at a young age that you can never have too many friends, and enemies are all too easy to create. I don't limit myself, I haven't yet, and don't ever plan on doing so either. My biggest thing is appreciation, and who you know. I'm pushing 900+ contacts and I can't even drink legally yet, and I'd say a good amount of them have a unique edge in this world. And like I said, don't lose sight of being appreciative.

My advice to an 18 year old? Start trying to take notice of things you love doing, and do it. It only benefits you.

 

Sounds like you're having a hard time letting go. I suggest you cut back on the moonshine and the "puff the magic dragons" :wink: cause its time to head back down to earth


Sorry don't smoke don't drink. But I have always actively pursued my dreams and found a way to do it and help people at the same time. I had a passion for music and went for it full tilt. I played in bands did recording engineering, production and went and saw live shows when ever I could. I took trips to London to check out shows and had $5 in my bank account when I got home but I did get to see and meet The Stranglers, Generation X and Sousixe and the Banshees when they were first starting. I worked it 24/7, did the same thing when I got into Porn.

I bought my Lusso and OSCA MT4 in 1983 when I got out of engineering school. Borrowed the money the Lusso was $23,000 MT4 $5,000 and ate beans and rice for a couple years. Iresponceable but it paid off when I sold the cars in 89. It was a risk but take risks when you are young. Life changes and you can become more risk adverse. My wife would not let me buy a Maserati A6GCS Zagato a couple of years ago for $300,000. That car is $1,000,000 to $1,200,000 today. Still pissed about that one. ( I am not going to mention the Talbot Lago race car I missed due to her bs or my head will explode)


Just finding middle age is Ok it has it's rewards but it's harder to get your peers together to do some thing exciting. I guess every one gets too comfortable they lose thier edge. I am guilty of that some times myself.

I have seen too many young people waste thier lives working 60-70 hour weeks for a corporation or law office that will fire them the minute the economy hits a bump. They have dreams of working hard at something ( they may not even like) and retiring at 40. Many people find that when they get there it's kind of boring and they have lots of regrets. You can always make money but you can't turn the clock back.