Ask Reddit: Hey, I'm sixteen right now. I know a number of you guys are older, so what, I guess, life lesson or advice would you give to a regular 16-yr.-old, or your own younger self?
[deleted]
Posted Mar 17, 2009, 10:15 PM UTC
153596
I'm only 35, but here's a collection of things that come to mind; either what I've learned, or what I wish I'd done differently.
Find a good woman (man, whatever floats your boat.) It likely won't be the first one you run across. It very possibly won't be the tenth one you run across either.
Have as few things as you can. Clutter keeps you down. Do you really need that? Then again, keep your dad's watch.
Your parents (most probably) aren't nearly as bad as you think they are. They were once your age too. Cut them some slack, humor them a bit. You won't have that much time to hang out with them later.
As the man said, sex. Lots of it. And use a goddamm rubber.
You think you know everything. You don't. Figuring out how little you know is actually a pretty humbling experience and the first step to knowing something.
Keep a cool head at all times.
http://www.elise.com/quotes/a/heinlein_-_specialization_is_for_insects.php
If you ever get the feeling that some of your friends might be bums, they probably (but again, not necessarily) are.
Practice drawing people. If nothing else, it'll give you something to smirk at when you flip through old notebooks.
Doubt everything anyone tells you. The more they claim to be an authority, the more you should doubt them. This doesn't mean you should always ignore others, just do your own fact checking. Then doubt what you found while fact checking.
Clothes do, at least to some extent, make the man. Make sure you know how to shave, and when you want to have a decent haircut. Own at least one decent suit, tie, shirt and pair of dress suits. At worst, you're not overdressed -- everyone else is underdressed. Find a good tailor; sometimes, he/she is the wrinkled grandma sitting at the back of the Chinese laundry (mine was in college.)
Always be a gentleman.
Be curious.
Always take the moral high road. Then again, sometimes you have to pop the son of a bitch in the face.
More Heinlein, TANSTAAFL. Then again, sometimes there is.
Chivalry is not dead.
Learn to listen (my biggest weakness, look at me, I'm preaching to a 16-year-old.) Learn to express yourself.
Don't give up the piano lessons.
You're probably better than you think you are. Still, you're probably nowhere near as good as you think you are.
Roman emperors in victory parades had a slave who stood behind them in their chariot, holding a laurel wreath over their heads, and continually whispering "thou art mortal, thou art mortal" in their ear.
Don't be defensive towards people who're easily offended.
Never underestimate the importance and value of reading absolutely insane amounts of books and learning seemingly random, inane facts.
Learn at least 2 foreign languages. Do it soon, it gets harder the longer you wait.
While you're at it, go backpacking across the country. Then go backpacking abroad if you can. You most likely won't feel like sleeping in gritty hostels when you're over 25.
Buy a decent entry-level DSLR. Use it. A lot.
Back up your photos. Often. Back up everything else often as well. It will crash.
Buy a small, lightweight laptop and keep a journal.
Keep in touch with people, always.
Accept criticism graciously. If it's negative, ignore it. If it's constructive, consider it.
Make it a habit to smile at people. You get a lot more out of them.
It's only money, there'll be more of it.
Learn to care for your belongings.
Make it a habit to make lists of things to do, then do them.
Learn to cook. It's not that hard, it impresses women (men, whatever), and if worse comes to worse, it's an excuse to have a martini.
Don't watch TV, it's mostly crap.
Get as much education as you can as early as you can. Even if it's not your thing, it will come in useful. And if it doesn't, you can impress people with the diploma.
Many people are easily impressed by charlatans. Don't be, and don't become a charlatan.
Always read the fine print. Remember that the other guy's out to make a living.
Then again, some people are just good at heart.
Think before you talk. What looks and sounds good on first glance may be ill-considered.
Organized religion is a crock. That shouldn't stop you from learning about it, reading its literature and admiring its art. Then again, do whatever works for you.
Learn how to do some useful things that might be distasteful to you (shoot a gun, iron shirts, whatever.)
Ask yourself how the other guy sees things. That doesn't mean he's always right, but understanding his point of view can sure make things easier.
Learn a few hands-on trades (plumbing, car repair, painting, electrical work) -- when the poli sci degree is useless, you can build things.
The law isn't always right.
Don't overpay for things. Let other people do that.
Appreciate beauty.
There are no absolutes, ever.
Yes, that last one was meant to be a joke.
But some things and ideas are just non-negotiable.
Learn to negotiate.
Cussing is a sign of a weak vocabulary. Then again, it can be mighty satisfying.
Nobody ever died of a hard day's work.
Nobody ever lay on their death bed wishing they'd spent more time at the office either.
Don't procrastinate. If there's something you'd rather be doing and you can get away with it, go and do it and don't apologize.
Don't be afraid to do look ridiculous. If someone's scoffing at you and you're not hurting anyone, the other guy is probably (but not necessarily) not worth your time.
The guy you hate may become best friend.
Learn to be wary of the slippery slope.
If you have five really close friends that you stay in touch with, you're lucky. If you have ten, you're exceptional. Did I mention stay in touch?
Develop a work ethic.
Learn to prioritize.
Be good to others, karma (usually) comes around. And if it doesn't, you get to be smug about it.
Don't be smug.
If all else fails, RTFM. Oh, and learn to read maps. I usually get there faster than my friends with a GPS.
Go to the dentist.
Experiment, but stay the hell away from anything harder than pot or booze.
Know your limits (you do have them.)
Get enough sleep and exercise, eat well and all that jazz, and keep doing it. Lack of sleep leads to the dark side.
Murphy was an optimist.
Don't believe everything you read online, including long lists made by people who should have gone to bed but stayed up writing to-do lists out of some perverted sense of get-shit-done-itis.
Get off reddit, it's a nice day outside.
180
I quite enjoyed that, and quite regret not having had you as a dad.
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[deleted]
4
You forgot about the sunscreen ;)
17
Holy shit, where did you steal this from? ... kidding. awesome list.
Get as much education as you can as early as you can. Even if it's not your thing, it will come in useful. And if it doesn't, you can impress people with the diploma.
This. I am surprised I didn't see it higher up.
There is nothing I regret more than not working harder to learn more at an earlier age. Not the smoking, not the military, not the bad relationships. All of those have taught me something; there is nothing significant I learned about myself from watching one more video on YouTube.
8
Excellent advice. I have some comments:
Find a good woman (man, whatever floats your boat.) It likely won't be the first one you run across. It very possibly won't be the tenth one you run across either.
Indeed - the order is random, so it's just as likely to be the first as the third as the tenth... Learn to distinguish lust from love.
Attractiveness turns to ugliness in your eyes if there is ugliness inside. The inverse is also true. A hot body remains appealing much more longer than a pretty face. Both fade in time.
Learn at least 2 foreign languages. Do it soon, it gets harder the longer you wait.
Try to go abroad to a language school. Total immersion is the way to go and it's often really cheap.
While you're at it, go backpacking across the country. Then go backpacking abroad if you can. You most likely won't feel like sleeping in gritty hostels when you're over 25.
Drop this country down or off the list. There are amazing natural sights to see, and a variety of people to meet, but otherwise it's strikingly homogeneous in nature and outlook when compared to the rest of the world. Go abroad, it's cheaper and you'll be amazed how it will broaden your perspective. Try to get to Africa and India. If you can study abroad, do it, and don't (just) hang out with the American ex-pats.
Learn to cook. It's not that hard, it impresses women (men, whatever), and if worse comes to worse, it's an excuse to have a martini.
This! Both are relaxing at the end of a stressful day (the martini, or glass of wine, along with the cooking)
The guy you hate may become best friend.
Not at all in my experience. I'd say trust your first judgement of people. I've been bitten more than once by thinking someone was a dick, then coming around to them and thinking I judged them hastily, and then ultimately realizing (painfully) I was right in the first place.
8
You would (will?) make an awesome dad.
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Are?
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Have?
3
Want?
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All he did was copy stuff from another website. Learn to Google, people.
-1
Check the date on the blog.
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Reading this has inspired me, thank you!
3
I would amend the first one to say "Fuckin' steer clear of relationships"
1
Excellent.
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[deleted]
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I'm seventeen, and I do know everything.
1
Boy are you ever for an awakening!
5
You know everything better. There is a subtle difference.
2
I largely agree, except for the sex part. When I first got some, around, what it was? 20 maybe. It was like - is that all? No big deal at all. It's not even nearly as fun as getting drunk with friends and telling jokes or stuff like that. It's not even as much fun as eating a huge portion of ham and eggs. It's just some dirty, smelly, borderline disgusting messing around and the complaints of a woman who didn't yet come. My advice would be don't obssess about sex, it's not that good at all. I tend to avoid it whenever I can, unfortunately, above 30 things change over and now it's the women who run after men, so it's a bit hard to avoid it, I get offers from women multiple times a year, despite that I don't look that good, but after 30 they don't have much choice, all the good guys are long married and busy developing a beer-belly.
Another important advice would be to hit a gym and build some muscles. Not for the looks, who cares about the looks. For the feeling, for the strong, pumped-up, warrior-like "ARRRRR, now I could just RIP shit apart and could throw a fucking cupboard out the window" feeling. It's extremely gratifying.
1
You've been doing it wrong. If the woman complains because you didn't make her come, you've been doing it completely and totally wrong. Get a boyfriend, 'cause the fun in sex is MAKING a woman come.
2
Is this just a list of things you really wanted to do but didn't lol?
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Downmodded for cut-and-paste
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[deleted]
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Well, for what little it's worth, that's actually my page. I wrote the list on reddit late a few nights ago and was rather fond of it, so I decided to keep it around. I frequently write things in various places that I like to keep around as the basis for other ideas.
Congratulations Sherlock, I didn't know I was interesting enough to bother with. I hope you like it =)
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[deleted]
-8
Do not start smoking.
Do not start drinking to excess.
Think before you act.
Know what to kiss and when.
Ask a professional.
Do not pick at it.
Most importantly, do not take out student loans unless you absolutely must. They are lying to you about the terms.
EDIT: I forgot one!
Everyone can teach you something.
149
Debt is modern day slavery. If you owe someone, if you owe the bank for a credit card, you are their slave. It is better to save and wait to buy, than to buy right now and sell your soul.
55
Except for the part where you are forced, by whip, to work for a vicious, hateful and sadistic master until the day of your slow, miserable, agonizing death beneath an inescapable sun that torments you with its unbearable cruelty. Other than that, yeah, it's just like slavery.
39
just because you have a good boss, no need to rub it in for the rest of us.
48
Slavery implies that other people own you, not that they treat you poorly. Debt implies that you owe your assets to your creditors, so it IS very similar.
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exactly, since if you can't pay you are thrown in jail and deprived of your liberty.
2
American slavery was unusually nasty.
4
There were house slaves too, you know.
Not to diminish the horror that was slavery, but I think that the massive system of credit/debt is one tool (along with incarceration) that has perpetuated social relations not so distant from slavery and indentured servitude. Incarceration aside, the lived violence of slavery (which is what you're talking about) has not been explicitly preserved in the same way.
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Indentured servitude, absolutely. All lenders, sharks or otherwise, profit massively by keeping you in the hole, it makes you their bitch. But the respectability afforded to "official" lenders means they can't break your legs or make you do shit you don't want to.
You're a bitch, not a slave.
0
Old time slavery took a toll on your body.
Modern day slavery hollows out your soul first, you'll destroy your own body with stress, overeating, then you can take the blame when the heart attack hits.
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Debt is a form of indentured servitude, which is different from slavery.
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It is very similar.
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[deleted]
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I agree except for military. Health benefits are nice, but they don't help you from a pine box 6 feet under. Wait until we're out of Iraq. If you do go in the service, go Airforce or Navy so you don't take a bullet.
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The health benefits are shit. My father got a staph infection after an operation on his neck at a VA hospital. They didn't even bother to shave the area. It was absurd.
Fuck the military.
3
There's no reason to pay for college if you don't have to. The prices are shot way out of proportion... the bubble on a B.A. hasn't popped yet. There's no reason to fork over a kidney and a lung just to show that you can. Lots of the rich and spoiled kids will be farting around and laughing it up anyway, so you may as well not go into gross amounts of debt to be in the same classes as them. You can take school seriously without going into huge amounts of debt, or watching your hard-earned money go down the toilet, to do it. Plenty of people get a free ride who are a lot less worthy than you, so why should you suffer? Work hard to earn the money the system puts into you and give back later when you've got it to give.
Seriously: Go go Jr. College. Get your general eds out of the way there. Have your parents STOP claiming you on their taxes, if nothing else.
This is THE MOST IMPORTANT thing when it comes to financial aid. Ignore all the shit they tell you. Your parents claiming you on their taxes after the age of 18 is the most expensive mistake they will make for you. Don't let them do it.
Your parents are NOT to write you on their taxes.
Got that?
They can pay your health care plan if they want to make sure you don't have a gap in coverage, but there is no other benefit for YOU to have THEM claim you on their taxes... this just gives the government the ability to say, "Ok parents... fork over $20k." Do they have $20k to give? No. Well then guess what? You've got to come up with that $20k... so long as they claim you on their taxes. Either this means you get loans or you beg for scholarship money or you go begging for grants... but you'll have to come up with the cash.
Don't do it.
Basically, you're counted as a dependent if your parents cover more than half of your living expenses... so, let's pretend the cost of lighting your room is, say, $40/month (I'm guessing here). You pay $21 of that. Say, your food is $200 a month. You pay $101 of that.
See how this goes? You always pay a liiiitle more than half, and poof. Your parents don't claim you as a dependent and it's all legit.
Also...
When you're out of college, live with your parents as long as you can stand them and they'll let you. Even if you're paying rent, you've got people who will have your back when the shit hits the fan, so to speak, and you won't get that with any roommate.
Be humble... hormones make you crazy, but honestly, you're at the point where you can make some SERIOUS mistakes that you'll be kicking yourself for making later. Just make sure the mistakes aren't any of the following:
baby
drugs
marriage
debt
You'll be pretty OK with most of the other ones. ;)
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This guy is completely right, except you don't even have to pay - your parents are not required to claim you even if you are a dependent.
Trust me on this one, I have a kid, and it very clearly states that I can claim them, but I don't have to claim them.
2
Service guarantees citizenship! Would you like to know more?
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My grades weren't the best in high school. Scholarships are there, but aren't in abundance. I was planning on student loans.
What should I do instead? I'm on my first year of college right now at a junior college.
Advise me, O wise one.
2
Workforce Investment Act. (Your CC will have a WIA coordinator, just ask who it is, you don't have to pay it back, provided you use your degree for at least two years.)
Federal Pell Grants, this is based pretty much entirely on income, not grades, though they will take it away if you outright fail a semester.
There are also several field specific grants, most of which will just require you to work in that field for a certain amount of time after graduation.
You school's financial aid office can tell you which ones you qualify for. Use them. Don't let them brush you off if they're lazy. We're talking about thousands of dollars in basically free money. Get as many grants as you can.
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Don't be afraid of loans. Don't be stupid about them, but don't be afraid to take them out. Coming from a poor family that didn't have the means to financially support me, I had to rely on loans to get through college (because, unlike many lucky kids, my parents didn't give me a single dime in any way, shape, or form).
I'm not saying take a bunch of loans out. I'm just saying, weigh your options and educate yourself about the loans. If you decide they're worth the debt, take them.
1
If you don't yet have a job, take one... Maybe you want to consider getting less classes per semester so you have to pay less credits, if that is an option. Also, if someone else pays, or helps pay, that will be a big advantage. Don't give up on scolarships, look outside the box (in some areas, companies may have scolarships they don't advertise), and as a last resort: armed forces. Uncle Sam pays your college.
0
Living in society is modern day slavery. It begins the day you are named.
2
True, except the part about it being "modern day slavery". The Russians did away with serfdom/slavery way before the rest of Europe did - the rich landowners just kept the poor folk in debt up to their eyes so they could never leave for greener pastures. It's not a new concept at all.
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I, of course, meant "credit card debt", but you are absolutely right.
1
Sorry, I knew what you meant - just wanted to add my .02.
I'm an American living overseas. Every time I go home for a visit, I see old friends and try to entice them into working abroad for a while and seeing a bit of the world. The universal response: "I can't. Gotta pay bills man." They are shackled down with mortgages, car payments, credit card debt, and student loan payments.
1
Or you just say "fuck it" and don't give a shit about credit ratings and don't pay them back. What are they gonna do?
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Debtors' prison.
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Woooooo bankruptcy! (Protip: Doesn't work on student loans.)
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Technically it does--just pay off the loan using some other form of debt, then default on that instead.
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What do they do if you leave the country and never return?
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Take your possesions or throw you in jail?
1
I'd rather describe it as a furtherly modified form of serfdom.
1
Do not start drinking to excess.
Well, in the right conditions, it's probably good to get black out and/or puke a few times, to get an idea of what's up. Just make sure you're with alright people.
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There's the problem. I won't bore you with the details but I found out the hard way.
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No, please do!
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I forgot another one: Don't tell everything you know.
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He's right. Make sure you once get drunk to hell and back in safe environment. You need to know what it feels like, so next time you don't go driving.
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Drinking slowly to learn your limits is good.
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Great edit. "Everyone can teach you something." Even if it's what not to do.
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I didn't say that it would be something good.
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Chill man. I was not being sarcastic.
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I know. I was simply agreeing with you.
3
"Some people's sole purpose in life is to serve as a warning to others."
Best mantra ever. Everyone has advice; look at their life and decide if their advice is worth taking.
3
Do not start drinking to excess.
Big time. Wait until you're about 26 to drink heavily. Your brain is a great deal safer.
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[deleted]
2
I know several people in the US who are burdened with student loans and have no recourse. One of them has a very long sob story that sounds like a soap opera, but not even bankruptcy can eliminate that student loan debt.
I'm not going to say that you should never take out a student loan, but definitely anyone reading this thread should understand that your experience is atypical, and should be extremely wary of building up that kind of debt. Please see www.studentloanjustice.org if you want more information.
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Why is that site built out of almost nothing but images? As much as I don't trust banks, I find it hard to trust a website that incompetently built.
1
you live in Canada. here in the USA, my family took out $80,000 in student loans to put my brother through 2 years of digital arts college in the Bay Area, California. the interest rate is insane, and although I'm not sure how much it is, I know that my mom said it would take 20 years to pay off the principle, and another 5 years to pay the interest.
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They are lying to you about the terms
Can you elaborate on what you mean?
2
Do not start smoking.
Know the use and perils of tobacco. Treat it as the Native Americans used to (perhaps apocrophal): as an occasional, almost spiritual, communal drug, and it's very good. The closes modern secular analog to this I can think of is sitting around reunited with old friends, with cigars and whiskey, late at night.
Do not start drinking to excess.
regularly.
An occasional binge can be cathartic.
Think before you act.
But don't over-think.
Ask a professional.
But be aware that professionals, like everyone, are often incompetent. Many tasks are not nearly as complex as they appear.
Do not pick at it.
But don't ignore it. If it's there and it's irritating, find out what it is, it might be serious.
This is literal and figuative advice.
Everyone can teach you something.
Even if it's only that some people are staggeringly stupid.
2
Don't ever smoke
Try drinking early so you are familiar with alcohol and know how it affects you.
Always.
Everything, anytime.
Don't waste your money unless you have serious issues. When you're in college it doesn't hurt to see the free psychologist in the University health center.
Unless it feels good
If you're rich then don't take the loans, otherwise take them and fuck'em.
Except me.
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Fucked up on the drinking. Can't stop picking at it.
0
Puss is not your friend.
0
Why drink at all? None of it is healthy, it's actually probably worse for you than smoking.
-1
Because it can be fun if you're at least somewhat responsible about it.
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The liver is a lot better at healing than the lungs, but drinkers consume a fuckload when they really get going. Hard to judge.
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cause it gets you drunk!
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Cause red wine contains antioxidants which can be a fun way to try to avoid cancer.
-1
So do grapes. Or lettuce.
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I said a FUN way!
3
Translation: Do not have fun.
-1
Smoke only when you drink
Drink with friends whenever
He who hesitates is lost
Kiss everything, but not always passionately
Ask a professional, but don't always believe them
Do Not Pick At It.
My parents paid for my college so you're on your own with that one
EDIT: I forgot one!
There's something to admire in everybody.
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Sex, lots of it.
I wish I had.
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Narrow window of opportunity to bang all the teenage girls you can. Titties will never ever never feel that good again, ever.
91
Titties will never ever never feel that good again, ever.
This man speaks the truth.
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As a 23 year old, I disagree, because 18 year old titties still feel good.
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does half age + 7 rule
... alright I guess your in the clear by a margin.
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Sure. My 25y/o wife's are great (possibly because they are epic, she's an I-cup) but they still aren't as good as when they were 16.
It's a fact of life.
12
mmmMMMmmm 18 year olds
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But I don't want it to be true.
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They'll always feel that good - It's just that it's the only time that you won't go to jail for it.
4
when else can you get some of that hot 15-17 year old ass without looking like a perv?
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upmodded cause your name made you look more like a perv
7
You still look like a perv. I thought sex was creepy until I deflowered at 17...but truly thought it was creepy until I got married at 32.
-1
Probably because you were expecting rainbows and unicorns to run about.
3
I said it was creepy, not a magic lacking experience. That being said, there were no rainbows and unicorns, but I think it may have been worse if there were.
1
Another vote for this, you feel too shy? You feel like you don't deserve the girl? Fuck. That. Shit. I really mean it too, get those inhibitions out of the way, the sooner you do that the sooner you'll stop putting pussy on the pedestal.
Now you may ask how you may do it, you simply do. There is no easy way, you just do. Make an idiot out of yourself, it won't matter, it never does. Not to make a nike ad of this, but trust me on this, just do it. The pussy that I could have had back in highschool, jesus christ. So many things I could do if I could just do it all over again...
But then again that is assuming you're having trouble with the ladies like I was, if not then good on ya mate, but if not, really, take heed, you don't want to end up in mid 20s kicking yourself in the ass for having wasted your life so long for. 16 may seem like young right now, but trust me, 25 and self loathing is but a blink away.
EDIT: Oh and about booze, try and keep it at least twice a week between inebriations. Alcoholism sneaks up on you, it really does.
31
same here. there were so many girls I could have gone out with that I passed up simply because I couldn't work up the nerve to ask any of them out. hell, even in middle school I passed up girls who obviously liked me because I STILL couldn't work up the nerve.
I've done better since, however. in fact, I got a girl's number today! all I had to do was talk to her, tell her she's pretty, and then ask for it. best of all: she's cute- I didn't even have to start from the uglies and work my way up.
11
yeah but the uglies will suck your dick like there's a diamond ring in it
4
they'll all be sent to the State Home For The Ugly in a matter of days.
1
Bravo for the 'good on ya mate' without a '100 pushups.'
3
Talk and flirt with every girl you see. Doesn't matter what she looks like it's all practice.
1
She's out of your league? WELCOME TO YOUR NEW LEAGUE!
1
Regarding Sex, I would say don't feel inhibited but don't feel pressured either. And keep condoms ready for one night stands.
24
And keep condoms ready ALWAYS. ftfy.
Don't get anybody preggers either.
28
like my high school tennis coach once said (and i will never forget): "extra racquets are like condoms. It's better to have one and not need it, then to need one and not have it."
14
Oh, I forgot to add when I said "bang really hot girls"... wear a fucking condom. Even if she says she's on birth control, she probably hasn't taken it in a week or two, plus it won't save your dick from the herp.
And once you got the herp no one's going to want the dick.
1
[deleted]
20
I'm a girl. I might contradict my sex but I want to give good advice:
P-Dub is right; when you're forty, married with kids, you'll regret the time when you were young, single, and capable of banging really hot girls. Plus you're a guy, so you can't be called a slut, plus plus you're sixteen and whether you think your body is superb or not, the way it is right now is a hundred times better than it will be twenty years from now.
For the love of god enjoy it.
Also, be patient. The awkwardness that engulfs high school is so short and finite, it's so insignificant and there's so much more fucking peer pressure when you're in high school compared to life afterwards...
One more thing: you think you know a lot now? Wait until you're 18. And then wait until you're 20, and then you'll realize how stupid you were when you were 18. Your brain will get bigger! Savor that fact, before you brain gets smaller.
14
Flipping brilliant.
Shame it's at the end of a long line of sex posts that automatically get upvoted by the sexually repressed reddit contingent.
5
Sexually frustrated != sexually repressed
8
Ah, right. My mistake.
1
Don't get married or have kids.
1
needs instructions on how to get the scenario set up correctly
6
While shes coming home, surprise her with something nice.
Like a rag soaked in chloroform.
Also, Have a white van ready.
You asked for a scenario, you never said legal.
Edit because chloraform is a bit too potent.
also is not a word.
12
I assume that "Chloraform" is better than "Chloroform," since 'a' is higher on the alphabet ladder than 'o.'
3
Wear condoms, 1 in 4 people have hpv and lots of people have herpies and other weird shit. Condoms will save you from misery.
5
Except the kind of misery you directly refer to, ironically enough.
2
Really? They don't stop hpv or the herps? Well in that case, look before you leap.
1
Easier said than done.
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[deleted]
1
I thought it was wrong.
Damn I was foolish.
1
[deleted]
1
and there was always that son of a bitch who was perfectly muscular with a full beard at sixteen
dammit I hate that guy
1
[deleted]
1
Your comment (as of right now) is at 69 points. Quite fitting!
0
I can't agree more. If it moves, fuck it. I wasn't picky growing up. I banged out as many girls as I could, and now that I'm older every girl I know is getting married, married or pregnant. And if you're one of the fellas that does get hitched you'll always get to go back to the memories of when you weren't banging out the same poonany all the time.
0
- Actually listen to your parents. They almost always know whats best for you.
- Things that seem a big deal now won't be in five years.
- When you go to college, no one cares about you or what high school you went to.
- When you're done with college, the places you apply at won't care about what you did in high school.
- Never take life too seriously.
I guess what I'm trying to say is don't be too critical of yourself and just try and do the best job that you can do. Live your life so you don't think "I wish I had..." very often. Time only flies faster as you get older. Enjoy your youth.
80
Actually listen to your parents. They almost always know whats best for you.
Highly dependent on the parents. My parents are both really stupid and my life only started to get better once I escaped them.
89
same here
9
kudos on escaping that. my parents are kind of similiar. stupid not quite in the normal way, but stupid in that they're both poor and saddled with more debt than a boat at the bottom of the ocean, yet my father holds on to this childish notion that "some time soon" everything will change, but does nothing to work for it. for the longest time, I was honestly befuddled, until I realized what it really is: wishing really, really hard for something doesn't make it happen.
8
I think that's rather harsh, don't you think? I'd much rather prefer to call mine willfully ignorant. =p
1
Well, one might not be flat-out stupid, but the other is. And yeah, both are definitely ignorant and simple minded.
1
Actually listen to your parents. They almost always know whats best for you.
This is one of the most irresponsible things to advise, EVER.
Please realise, if you had wise parents, you're a lucky exception.
37
I grew up with some of the coolest, smartest parents around...I never really realized how lucky I was until I took a friend home one day, and her mom had emptied her trash can onto her bed because it was cleaning day.
21
you're one of the fortunate ones. both my parents are poor, debt-saddled, fairly uneducated, and lazy (mostly because they're forced to work all the time, so I guess that's kind of a dichotomy).
yet, compared to one of my friends also, my parents seem fucking awesome. but compared to my last girlfriend's parents (who were fucking rich and her father was a foreign dignitary), my parents are worms.
3
Quit judging people by their financial success.
16
wtf?
2
Yeah, that's what I was like at the time.
1
Hell, what would you consider wise. Usually if they're kind of dumb people overall they've fucked up in all the ways possible. They'd have the good experience to tell their kids "I've tried that stupid shit, it doesn't work."
1
Do you know his parents?
17
• Wear a condom when you have sex.
• Don't fall in love too easily too young.
• Cigarettes are very difficult to quit.
• Stay active and stay fit.
• Marijuana is only a plant. Don't let it ruin your life.
• University is not vocational training and is expensive.
• Avoid Student Loans if possible.
• GIve others a second chance but not a third.
• Don't let your emotions take control of you.
• Learn to meditate.
Edit: • Don't be afraid of criticism from others. (tricolon)
Edit 2: • When you don't get what you want is sometimes a stroke of good luck.
• Say less but mean more.
77
- Use double newlines to make a linebreak on Reddit
26
Add two spaces at the end of each line to make a linebreak on reddit.
Like so.
1
Fall in love, and learn from the experience
It's better not to start smoking anything, you don't need marijuana in your life
Fitness will require an entire lifestyle. Play a sport, or dance or something
16
saying you don't need cannabis in your life is like saying you don't need the internet. sure, you could survive without it no problem, but it is damn interesting.
16
I don't know if the internet is a good comparison. The internet doesn't affect my memory, for one. There are some other reasons but I can't seem to recall them right now.
8
Reddit has reduced my attention span to
10
I agree. It is damn interesting.
4
well said good sir
2
I go to the gym 4 times a week and blaze every day. I play squash on weekends and ultimate frisbee.
I think i've got my shit in order :)
8
There's plenty of people who know their limits and can handle drugs in a mature and responsible way, but I still think the default advice is to not do drugs at all. The other half turn into demons.
1
can we hear it for the althletic stoners? whooooooooo!
1
Mr. Phelps is that you?
2
[deleted]
1
[deleted]
1
This is the best advice I've read thus far.
6
By far the best advice on the board. I'd also like to add that you should choose your friends very, very wisely. And the best trait is loyalty. You'll find that it'll make your life much richer. I'd also like to add you should taste life as much you can. Study hard, work hard-- but go out, meet people, and travel as much as you can. Most of your adult life is going to be spent wishing you had a few weeks off or months off to see a little bit more of the world. I respectfully disagree from burnblue--go out and meet people, play the field, get a feel for what type of person suits you. You have your entire life to be committed. Explore the world and life before you settle down. I hate to sound like a cynic, but please don't fall in love recklessly--it can ruin your life. Last word of advice: hot, crazy girls are not for dating.
5
-Don't believe people when they tell you to get a job doing what you love.
-It didn't work out for them and it's not going to work out for you.
-Get a job doing something you're good at and pays you more than you need.
-Live below your means.
-Spend your spare time and money doing what you love.
41
I somewhat disagree. Do your best to get into a career you can enjoy doing, and is fulfilling enough.
If the 9 - 5 is a drag in one day, imagine that for every workday over the span of your lifetime.
You're more likely to be good at stuff you actually don't mind doing.
The only spirit in which I can agree with the above is don't the best things in life, i.e. your favorite escape activities (stuff like sex, candy, playing video games), because then your work is your life and you have nothing in contrast to take your mind off your job.
Of course, getting a job that pays more than you need is great advice, just make sure you get a job that gives you spare time to enjoy that money.
18
disagree. you're going to spend alot of your life at work, so make sure its something you enjoy
17
disagree, you're going to spend the most agonizing time of your life paying the bills. Make sure you can meet them.
8
They're not mutually exclusive. Doing what you love doesn't mean sitting on yoru couch smoking weed all day. It means going into a profession you are passionate about and will keep your interest for years.
10
I somewhat disagree, very slightly. I love working on the hardware of computers and setting them up and all, but I wouldn't want to do that for a living because when something goes wrong (which always does), it is damn frustrating. it's only enjoyable when I have to do it about once a month.
on the other hand, I also love Astronomy, and it is my major. I wouldn't have a problem sitting in an observatory gathering data and then going back to my office to analyze and compile it, simply because I have a deep appreciation of the scientific field (and, well, je l'aime!)
1
I almost started my engineering degree abroad a few years back, but backed out a couple of weeks before school started. i started getting very doubtful to if it really was what i wanted, and if i was prepared to spend 5 years and alot of money on it.
Instead, i worked my ass off for a few months, went traveling for a year and a half. and through that process i've discovered my passion for gastronomy. i currently work in a fine dining seafood restaurant making good money with plans of attending a culinary arts institute next year.
since we're all stuck finding ways of paying the rent/mortgage/loans, one might as well make the best of it
2
definitely. I think it's a balance between sorting out what you would love to wake up every morning to do, something that pays well, and also something that you personally consider work; and by that, I mean seperating work and play, to a degree- I like video games too, but if I had to make or test video games, I'm pretty sure I would come to a love\hate standoff in less than a year.
1
On that note, it is never too early to research high paying jobs. Usually, engineering jobs and jobs that are high on math pay better, if for no other reason, because people hate math and supply and demand is a fact of life.
So, no matter what people tell you, practice your math EARLY ON! It will bring in the cash in the future.
9
most definitely. it is also worth noting that people with higher educations (and thus higher paying jobs) also get more flexible schedules, work less, raise happier children (I forgot where I saw that, probably in my Sociology textbook), are more intelligent, are generally happier, and also- I'd be willing to bet- love their jobs.
2
[deleted]
4
ditto. I'm 18, employed full-time, and salaried.
I love programming.
2
I realized just the opposite, then over-avoided it. Even as someone who will never be a code jockey, some current experience is better than none in this day and age.
1
Thats a bit of a blanket statement there, don't you think? I have a job doing what I love and there are many like me out there.
2
[deleted]
1
I think there are two options with this: work for the sake of making lots of money, or work because you love it (and make a little money).
Whichever you choose, commit! I spent too long being anxious about whether I'd chosen the wrong path.
1
Good advice - but don't listen to others who tell you what you cannot do - you can do whatever your heart desires if you work hard enough at it. Dream big, - follow your heart and your inner voice - and you will succeed at what you want to do professionally. If necessary, take odd jobs to support yourself, so you can do what you really need to do. Don't be afraid to fail - practice make perfect. Don't count on others to do things for you - do them yourself if you want things to turn out right. Be true to yourself. Make a list of lifetime goals and give yourself a timeframe to complete them. Get a solid education. See the world. Acquire friends and lovers. And never turn down a romp in the hay (edit/added: as long as you play safe and respect your partner).
1
Never, ever believe a single thing the government tells you.
This rule of thumb also applies to women.
39
Also applies to men.
32
but then who can we trust?
*gasp*
20
Eunuchs.
Or is it UNIX?
41
No, no, no. I'm sure the boss said we need eunuch programmers.
29
True for the most part, but most of my fellow guy friends seem to legitimately be more sincere. Not sure how else to describe it.
Edit: Yes, my experience is subjective and anecdotal.
4
How about describing it as your own limited experience, vs. a universal truth for all 6.5 billion people?
3
I found that women tend to be more sincere.
2
I've found it's a mild mixture depending on the situation. I find women to be more sincere, but also more judgemental.
1
Or men that dress like women.
3
It's a trap!
2
It might be better stated as "this rule of thumb also applies to members of the opposite sex."
That might be a little cynical, though.
2
Don't trust what anyone tells you...including me!
1
At 16 your life feels like it's going to last forever, but it's not. You'll be 40 in the blink of an eye.
DO: Savor your youth and have fun. But you are not immortal even if you think you are. Use some common sense.
Always wear a condom. Then wash out the condom when you are done. Sounds paranoid but that's the only way you can be fully in control of your reproductive rights. If she gets pregnant none of the choices are yours anymore.
Travel Travel Travel The one thing I did in my youth that I'm incredibly grateful for was travel the world. (backpacking). Do it before debts and kids and spouses! Travel opens your eyes to the world in a way that nothing else can. It will enrich your life. http://www.bootsnall.com/ is an amazing resource, try the forums there.
DON'T:
Get into debt. Eschew credit cards. They are EVIL.
Hold on too tightly to the way you think and feel about things. You will mellow and relax the older you get.
Worry too much about how you look. You are 16, you are beautiful if you know it or not.
Worry too much about what people think of you. Be a good person in the way you know how and you'll do fine.
Mostly though have fun out there. Life is good. Laugh.
EDITED TO ADD: Start saving now. Put 10% of everything you make into a simple savings account for now. You won't be sorry.
35
This country requires you to have credit. Make sure you get some and take good care of it.
8
I lived in the US for three years without ever needing a credit card. Most companies will take a debit card just as good. The difference is that, with a debit card, you never owe anyone. You need to, however, keep your checkbook in order.
4
It's not about needing a credit card to do transactions. Unfortunately, there are many instances where cash and debit are not accepted, even if you're filthy rich. I can't rent games from Blockbuster because I don't have a credit card. You can't rent a car from many companies with just a debit card. When you go to rent an apartment, they require a guarantor with a line of credit.
Plus, eventually people will want to get a vehicle, get a home, get a loan.. big things which most people just do not have the cash for. I didn't say he needs debt to survive.. I just said that if he's going to stay here (unlike you), he's going to need to establish credit.
5
I:
-
Rented games from Blockbuster using cash in Glendale, AZ.
-
Rented cars from the most recognized branded companies using debit cards.
-
Ask a friend or family member (parents?) to be your guarantor. They will usually have mortgages and that counts as line of credit.
Note: I didn't say you didn't require credit AT ALL, I said, avoid credit cards. You can establish credit with a cellphone plan. (I did, and was eventually offered a credit card, which I declined). Also, if you need a home, PAY THE HIGHER, BUT FIXED, RATE. It will avoid the problems many people are facing right now on keeping their homes. ALSO, if you need a mortgage, save for a down payment of at least 10% beforehand.
1
Thing is, once a debit card transaction happens, that money is gone. If someone manages to grab your number, they could fritter away much of the cash from your account and nothing could be done about the damage already done.
The optimal solution is to get a credit card, but consistently and immediately pay it off when the bill comes. In the event of some sort of fraud (identity theft, eBay scam, etc.), you can often backcharge the transaction and end up losing much less than you would have otherwise. Plus, you get to keep the interest on the money for a month (though that probably won't be much unless you're spending a shit ton of money).
3
The bank is responsible of keeping your money secure, even if its a debit card. Also, there is something to be said about being smart against ID Theft.
1
Agreed! I think I should edit that with "Eschew Credit Card Debt"
3
Sadly, I'm not sure that's true anymore. But it's still good to have good credit because it requires financial discipline.
1
Another tidbit about immortality, you may tell yourself "Yeah of course I know I'm not immortal, I've got a set number of years on this earth, I'm not a fucking idiot, what do you take me for?" But really, it's one thing to think to know it, and quite another to really realize it. Every time you come up against doing something you may want to do, but will eventually talk yourself out of due to friends, family, upbringing or whatever, ask yourself this, when I'm 40 (that is a blink of an eye, which is tomorrow) will I still be asking myself what would have happened if I had just gone ahead and done this or that? Don't have a definite answer? DO IT! No ifs ands or buts. DO. IT. There won't be another chance, just do it, right now. Right then and there. It may seem like a big deal at the moment, but trust me, it's not.
The experience may or may not turn out to be sour, but at least you'll know and learn from it, it can also guide you to better decision making later in life instead of continued guessing and fantasizing until your head hits the pillow of your deathbed.
5
"Then wash out the condom when you are done"
I don't follow?
3
It's so your semen can't be stolen.
10
Er yeah. What he said. Damn I'm verbose sometimes.
2
The sperm are still alive inside the condom for X period of time. I actually don't know off the top of my head how long X is, and I'm too lame to look it up at the moment.
If you are having sex with someone who is less than honest and you leave that condom full of sperm she could use it. I'm not saying that 99% of women would but there ARE some out there who would do such a thing for all kinds of reasons. If the sperm is down the drain there is nothing for her to use.
The way for men to control their reproductive rights and choices is to be in control of where their sperm goes. It's that easy. That is the only thing you control.
Once she is pregnant you have no choices. They are ALL hers. There's no getting around that because it's her body. You want to be a father and she wants an abortion? Too bad. You don't really want to be a father but she decides to keep it so now you are on the hook for 18 years of child support. Kiss your youth goodbye.
Edited to add I am a woman and I absolutely abhor the idea of a woman doing this but I have known women who have admitted doing it or trying to do it. It DOES happen.
6
Wouldn't it be easier to just flush it down the toilet?
2
It can fuck up the plumbing.
2
NO! NO no no! You are much more likely to have to pay the plumber a bunch of money for for clogged pipes. It's worse if you have a septic tank.
You think it's convenient to to just flush and it's gone, but you have to think about where it goes. The only thing that should go down your toilet is your bodily waste and toilet paper. Seriously.
2
[deleted]
1
Actually, I'm a woman.
Hrm, does that still make me a Pedobear?
3
Even more so!
1
Ha ha OK! I will wear the Pedobear badge today.
I think the 16 year old boys of the world are safe from me though because I'm not a teacher.
1
[deleted]
1
Eschew credit cards. They are EVIL.
Credit cards are amazingly awesome. Get a no-fee credit card as soon as possible, and use it for everything you can. It will raise your credit score, give you cash back and/or other benefits (extended warranties, loss insurance, etc), and be handy in emergencies (actual emergencies). The money in your bank account will be earning interest while it's waiting to pay off your card.
Get it now. Use it for everything. Pay it off every month.
1
Saving money early is a huge benefit. I wouldn't know personally because I bought the most ridiculous shit when I was younger.
1
[deleted]
1
Then wash out the condom when you are done.
wait, what?
-1
He should have told him to flush it. Even the nicest women acts funny when they start thinking about babies and their biological clock.
1
what i mean is, why not just throw it away when you're done instead of wash it out?
1
Don't be a stuck-up asshole. Disobey your parents from time to time. Stay out all night with your friends just once. Just because you can down a large pizza doesn't mean you should. Don't super size it. Go outside every day, no matter what the weather's like. Don't be afraid to beg for stuff from your parents.
Lastly, don't let your parents decide what you do with your life.
32
BUT, also remember if your parents are pretty good, to do nice things every once in a while.
15
You should do nice things every once in awhile for/with your parents regardless if they are "pretty good" or not.
1
No way. Disagree, if you have shitty parents they can go eat a turd. My friend's step mom bit her and pulled her hair and her dad didn't do shit to stop it, she has a perfectly good reason never to do anything nice for him.
1
Stay out all night and eat pizza? Extreeeeeeme!
7
Stay out all night with your friends just once.
Don't freak them out by not informing them that you're not dead.
Nothings ruins mild rebellion like the police picking you up.
5
You are not immortal or indestructible: Don't drive drunk. Don't ride with a drunk driver. Always wear your seatbelt. And don't do anything dumb to impress your friends.
Follow these rules, and you will greatly increase your chances of surviving into adulthood.
24
Don't be afraid of women! I had no idea of my wasted potential till I hit college, oh yeah, go to college! And for god's sake travel to a foreign land!
23
upvoted for the foreign travel suggestion.
3
If I may suggest, don't be afraid of Asia. Also, it is good to RESEARCH the place you are going before going. You'll enjoy it more that way.
2
Upmodded for the hilarious juxtaposition of your name and post.
2
[deleted]
21
This young man's future girlfriends thank you.
8
I'm totally lost. Care to elaborate?
1
Chili plus sex equals :-0
1
Do /not/ fuck over any of your girlfriends. If you're a decent guy there will come a time when you deeply regret this -and the wounds you cause are permanent.
Plus, the girlfriend/wife you want to spend the rest of your life with with undoubtedly have been fucked over, and it will piss you off like no other, and it's terrible to live with the guilt that someone else out there feels the same about you because of some stupid shit you did.
18
And they'll blog about it so it won't be private.
11
I am sad that I can only upvote this once. Years of regret later, I'm finally over the guilt.
And I will fuck up some of my wife's old boyfriends if I ever come across them.
1
As my Dad informed me when I turned 13:
"Now, listen. I'm going to seem really stupid to you for the next few years. But I'm still as smart as I ever was, and you will come to realize that one day".
Some of the wisest advice he has ever given me. Trust your parents, they know a thing or two :-)
18
*usually
1
See, I mean, I lost my virginity younger than I thought I would have, but didn't have tons of sex either... the reason being applicable to more things that just sex. (In fact, don't pressure yourself into sex just because so many people say so. Be natural and assertive)
Don't assume others have some grand information or secret knowledge about lift Just be confident for the sake of it. Most guys don't know shit about women at that age, and if they have them, it's because they subconsciously picked up traits from childhood or something.
If you are confident, it ain't nothing to walk up to women and ask them out... or succeed in any number of things. Take up a weird sport, learn guitar/bass/drums/freestyling to start a band, do whatever.
Don't spend all your time studying, but don't fuck off in school either.
Take up weight lifting. Pack on some muscle for confidence and practical purposes.
Honestly, I'm not sure how advice is gonna be used or is practical. Half the fun is learning it on your own.
17
Don't assume others have some grand information or secret knowledge about lift
Aside from Bernoulli, of course.
33
Bastard
8
Just in case the kid misses it. csectionsodomy meant "secret knowledge about LIFE"
4
Well played!
3
- Learn A Musical Instrument - Practice it everyday for 30 - 45 minutes
- Learn A Foreign Language - Practice It every day for 30 -45 minutes
- Learn A Martial Art - Attend classes at least twice a week
- Do 50 Pushups & 200 Situps Everyday - Increase both amounts when that becomes easy
- Don't Let Anyone Push You Around (Except For Your Parents) - If someone is picking on you, make an example out of them. If someone starts a fight with you, all you have to do is fight back.
- Be Cool To Your Parents (If They're Good Parents) - Don't lie to them, don't steal from them, don't be an asshole to them. I encourage you to get in trouble, but try to stay in relative control. They appreciate that sort of thing and will always support you in the future.
16
Did you do all those things when you were 16?
The following is not pointed directly at you, but this seems like a good place to comment. I am wondering how many people are writing down what they wish they did. How do you know that what you think you should have done would have made your happier, healthier or wealthier?
Good advice is more along the lines, "I did this and it worked out for me, YMMV"
3
I might have read it incorrectly, but I thought the thread asked: "so what life lesson or advice would you give to a regular 16 year-old, or your own younger self?"
That's my advice.
1
Ya really, that post reads like a recipe for a Ron Burgundy-esque terrorist bounty hunter.
"Jazz flute is for little fairy boys."
"IS THAT SO."
*pulls lengthy sharp object from flute and proceeds to kill everyone in room
"Auf wedersehen, a-holes."
0
I bet I can do 100 push-ups.
1
I bet you can't.
3
Get in a fight. I didn't know who I was until i started boxing anonymous people at midnight on Fridays.
edit: it also lets you get out all your anger towards one f your friends in a controlled environment. Then afterward you can shake hands and go on your way. Way better than staying mad at someone for days - punch them in the face.
16
[deleted]
13
Don't throw shit when you get angry. It's not worth breaking your phone at the expense of blowing off some steam.
3
I always put holes in drywall, but never broke a bone. I say go for it. It's easy to patch, and my goodness, it relieves a lot of anger/stress.
1
Do not talk about fight club.
2
Did you forget the rules?
- Never talk about __________
- Never ever talk about __________
1
We seriously did just that. We would meet behind this old grammar school late on Friday Nights and use the "Fight Club" rules as our guidelines. It was pretty awesome at first, but then people started breaking rules 1 and 2 - and we had to call the whole thing off when one night seventy people showed up, followed by the cops. It got way out of hand way too fast.
2
Take a lot of AP classes. I took two AP classes and I got 9 units at my university, which means 3 fewer classes I have to take. You can start out as a sophomore if you take enough AP's, and graduate in 3 years, or even better only take a few classes each semester and cruise through school.
15
I took two AP classes and I got 9 units at my university, which means 3 fewer classes I have to take.
Plus, high school teachers are a lot easier than anal professors.
(Although some professors can completely change how you view the subject)
5
Just get a GED, go to community college, get the crap out of the way, take the SAT and transfer to a college at 18. Then coast for 4 years.
1
More people should do this. There's no reason you have to put up with 4 years of high school bullshit (and it IS bullshit). Also, if you move to another country, no one cares if you have a GED.
3
[deleted]
1
I found out about GEDs too late. I am a junior. Any advice?
1
Depends on your grades and whether you like HS. You could be going to a CC this summer or Fall and earning 30 college credits or you could be taking Sr classes that don't count (unless you're taking all AP).
If they're telling you you have to be pregnant or in juve, there are always loopholes. A relative signed a piece of paper saying he was going to home school his kid, filled out the paperwork for the GED, and off to the test the kid went.
Another thing to consider is residency. If you want to live somewhere else and have a college there you think you can get into, move there for a year and work until you have residency (ie, cheap tuition). Some states, you can still take CC classes and claim residency (they don't check too hard at the CC level) for the college. Don't think you can get a job in any state? Try thesca.org/Americorps.
Don't be in a race to finish in four years. Go explore, take your time, work p/t, and have fun.
1
I had 20 something credits coming in and it gave me a lot more time to pick a major/take electives b/c I had my gen. ed. mostly done
1
Get a job, it will teach you a lot and it's good to learn to manage and save money.
No matter how hard you try, life never goes the way you want it to. Learn to accept the bad and enjoy the good.
14
You're 16? Hang on, man... it just gets better. MUCH better! Trust me on this.
Also: don't start cigarettes, ever! You'll be sorry!
Upmodded strictly for the last line.
permalink report reply?
Nope.
yarr!
PERMALINKZ TATTLE TLK BACK
permasail be squawkin' reply
(my reddit is set to pirate.) :-)
I got permalink parent report reply
Not for Astroboy14 you didn't.
but do start smoking pot!
I was much too uptight when I was 16.
Yeah, not so sure about the beginning.
youre doing it wrong
I came here to say just that. It's the only thing from my past that I have second thoughts about. Took me long to quit, and it was painful.
On the other hand, all my peers were smoking so there were absolute social benefits to it.
[deleted]
drugs and alcohol are okay!!!
I say depends on what you want. In the real world, people need you, and you need people. Isolation is dangerous. In order to survive in the midst of wolves, you need to wear your wolf furs. It's critical to act "normal" no matter how much more powerful your brain is. Out of all evils in the world, smoking is probably one of the smallest sacrifices you can make if circumstances require it. Comes along with disguise is another important subject, and that is self discipline -- you don't want to forget who you truly are.
... k, so much for smoking.
In soviet Russia, cigarettes start you.
[deleted]
It's not a crime...just one hell of an addiction. Almost like telling someone don't start shooting herion; it's just that cigs are much easier to obtain, even at 16. And cigs are harder to kick.
Cigarettes and heroin aren't nearly equal in terms of how addictive they are or how much they'll fuck you up, cigarettes are bad enough as they are, you don't have to lie to convince people they're not good for you.
It's also fallacious to suggest the only reason people smoke is because they're addicted, as is often done.
[deleted]
It's funny because the commenter extrapolated a personal vendetta about his personal habits, from a life lesson in a thread requesting life-lessons.
i smoke. downvoted.
No, I downmodded you for being a dick.
The point is, do you really think at 16, anyone is qualified to make a decision that they will be happy with for the rest of their lives?
If smoking cigs worked out fine for you, great. For 99% of decisions made at the age of 16, they're probably not going to last.
Actually....I downmodded your post because of the amount of money that I will have to pay to take care of your medical cost....
$72.7 billion per year in medical payments
...so with all due respect...FFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!11!1!11!!
It's just a terrible waste of money and good breath.
[deleted]
You replied to the wrong guy.
Let me know when we're complaining about cigarette taxes, then I'll join you.