4 Things I Would Tell My 17 Year Old Self…
Have you ever wished you could travel back in time to visit your old self, just so you can prevent your young, dumb self from making that one decision that you will regret for the rest of your life? Or how about telling your young self that you should really follow through on such-and-such a plan because if you don’t, you will end up…well, like you now, I suppose. C’mon…we’ve all felt like that, haven’t we? (No? Really? Am I the only one?)
With the onset of a new academic year, I can’t help but think about all of you 17 year old students, ready to begin your college career…you’re terrified, aren’t you? Yeah, I know. It’s hard to know what to expect now that your life is truly beginning. So, if you would indulge me for just a moment, I’d like to share some things with you that I wish I could go back and tell my 17-year old self:
1. You Don’t Know Everything: For some reason, it’s like every 17 year old feels as though they have the world figured out. I know for a fact that I was one of them…my Mom tells me on a semi-daily basis. Even now. And it’s been years. So, given how annoying that must have been for my parents, I would tell my 17-year old self to stop pretending as though I know what I’m talking about when, in actuality, I have no clue about [insert any subject here]. Someone once said, “Some people will never learn anything well because they understand everything too soon”; oh, dear little 17-year-old-PCC-Advantage, don’t let that be you! (Those are the very words I’d say to myself…) 😉 I’d tell myself to listen to those around me, and never be too anxious to speak because you will never gain any wisdom or knowledge in that manner.
Oh come on...is there ANY teenager out there who's a bigger know-it-all than Hermione Granger?! (Well, I may have been in my day...)
2. Life Decisions Shouldn’t Be Based On Who You’re Dating: When I was in my last year of high school, I began dating an amazing guy named Mr. T*. When we started talking about the possibility of us attending the same university, I was more than a little saddened when his mom encouraged him to broaden his scope a little; to look at other schools where 17-year-old-PCC wouldn’t be in attendance. At the time, I was confused because she and I had a terrific relationship and I thought she was just trying to get me away from her son. As it turns out, she had more wisdom than I did at the time; she thought that we should explore our futures independently of each other. And you know what? She was right.
Mr. T and I split up sometime after we began our college careers. We’re now friends on Facebook and chat every 6 months or so just to catch up, and I think we’re both glad that we decided to follow his mom’s advice and go to separate schools. Our lives were so much richer and fuller for the independent experiences that we’ve had, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything! So, I’d tell my 17-year old self, “So…um…you gotta break up with that guy. He’s awesome, true, but there’s a lot of stuff that you need to do and you’ve gotta do it alone, woman!”
*Name has been changed. I wasn’t really dating Mr.T…but I was intrigued by his gold chains.
I pity the fool who makes life decisions based upon who they're dating! I do!!
3. Start Saving Now: You do not need that new pair of shoes, nor do you need a new shirt. Or 5. Each week. Seriously, that’s ridiculous. I can’t tell you how many items of clothing or how many pairs of shoes I bought when I was 17, and my spending habits got even worse when I started working in a shoe store…and a clothing store. Honestly, money would slip right through my adolescent fingers, and a year later, I’d have nothing to show for it. So, I’d tell my young self to stop wasting money and pop the majority of the weekly pay cheque into a proper savings account. After all, as Ben Franklin said, “If you know how to spend less than you get, then you have the philosopher’s stone” (no, I’m pretty sure he wasn’t referring to Harry Potter).
Photo credit: http://www.zuuply.com
4. Get Yourself Educated: As a 17-year old, I was very resistant towards continuing my education. All I wanted to do was graduate high school and join the workforce (preferably, somewhere in retail because then I could buy all the clothes and shoes I wanted for cost!), and put up quite a fight when my parents forced me to and insisted that I strongly suggested I get a post-secondary qualification. I don’t know why I put up such a fuss because I had a blast in university! Not only that, but I also received an education that inspired me and aided me in my career development. So, I would probably say to my 17-year old self, “Hey…uh…shut up for a second. An education prepares you for life, so if you’re thinking about ending it after high school, you will be making the biggest mistake of your life”. Then my 17-year old self would have pulled out some attitude, made a scene, screamed at my current self and then tried to run away, kind of like this…
And then I’d probably punch myself in the face and drag my young self to a college campus. And you know what? In a very short amount of time, my 17-year old self would thank me.
What would you tell your 17-year old self? What wisdom have you gained over the years that you wished you knew back then? Or, if you’re currently 17 years old, what are you most afraid of or confused about regarding your future?
Filed under: College | 77 Comments
Tags: College, Education, Facebook, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, humor, money, saving, school, teenager, University
PCC Advantage
I am a university graduate, and I now work for a private college. I began writing this blog as a means to inform people about issues pertaining to higher education, both publicly and privately funded.
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I was very strong-willed at that age, so I’m not sure I would have even listened to my 51-year-old self, but I think I would have tried to convince 17-year-old me of the importance of a social life. I was very introverted, very intellectual, and a little dismissive of my peers, whom I considered unintelligent and trite. (Plus I think I was painfully fearful of rejection.) It was not until subsequent high school reunions that I got to know my classmates as real people – and they got to know me, if only for a day.
Wow! Thank you so much for being so honest! I have to say that you brought up some good points that I wished I had put into the post itself; the only difference would have been that I was the complete opposite of you…haha. I was an extreme extrovert and always put my extra-curricular activities ahead of my studies. It was always more important for me to hang out with my friends than it was to study, and the habit was difficult to break once I went to university.
So, if I could go back, I think I would tell myself to focus more on my studies and believe a little more in my abilities.
Thanks so much for sharing, Paul!
I agree with Paul…and a couple years older at 53. At 17 I was hopelessly clueless. Cruel irony we need all this experience to figure things out…how to live life, how to treat others, what is really important, etc. I think the money lesson might be the most important, especially now in these uncertain times. I recall “home economic-type” courses that tried to get you to understand the value of a dollar but unless you’re out there in the workplace needing to feed yourself that part-time job doesn’t always provide the full sense of urgency and full requisite knowledge to save…save…save. Enjoyed the question posed and your answers alike!
First of all, thanks so much for stopping by and taking the time to comment, Sportsattitudes. I know that this is quite a busy day in the blogging world for you (once again, congrats on being FP!), so I appreciate you dropping by.
Yes, I think that most 17 year olds are quite are clueless as to how the world really works, and are even more clueless about finances. I do not say that to be condescending towards teenagers (I was probably the most clueless out of everyone at that age!), rather I want all of the teenagers reading this post to know that it’s okay that they don’t know everything; after all, life is all about learning. I agree with you in that the money lesson would be the most important for all young adults to learn, especially, as you say, in these uncertain times. Unfortunately, the lessons I learnt about finances back in high school didn’t seem to resonate very well because I believe my reasoning skills and logical thinking had not fully developed…I fear the same is true for many other 17 year olds, so I can only hope they think twice about their money before wasting it on clothes/shoes/technological gadgets that will only be out of fashion in a year’s time.
Once again, thanks so much for stopping in! 🙂
I would say the same thing Paul said; I was too introverted and I underestimated the value of friends and a social life.
I would tell my 17-year-old self:
“I’m really proud of you. You are a good person. And you are beautiful. Don’t worry, you won’t be here forever. Actually it’s gonna be over pretty quickly but you don’t have to be so upset about how imperfect you are, or how imperfect your parents are for that matter. Oh, and I have great news for you: what you’re praying for right now, God is bringing it to you–you’ll get it fast and easy. In the meantime, it’s okay to make mistakes, and it’s okay to have fun while doing “dumb” things. Lighten up. Just because the situation isn’t ideal, doesn’t mean it’s not good enough for you to enjoy.”
Oh I’m sure my 60-year-old self would love to tell me this right now too. So I’ll just pretend she did!
Oh, Tinkerbell, I just LOVE your response! I love every word that you would’ve told your 17 year old self, and they ring so true…and you’re right, make sure that you repeat these same words to yourself now because I’m most certain that your 60 year old self would want to slap you in the face if you don’t believe it! Haha.
Fantastic response, Tink! 😉
Wow! that’s some advise I could use right now. Very eloquently put!
I know! Isn’t Tinkerbell awesome?! 😀
Glad it rings true to you too, you inspired it! I think this is a great exercise to do the way you presented, and then after you do it you add a bonus to say to yourself: “You see this advise you gave to the younger you? This is what you do with it right now: take it! Run with it! Run or your 60 year-old self will slap you.”
I don’t mean to say 60 year-old people are the best or the oldest they could get, they are just older than most. And at 60+ most *healthy* people have a lot of wisdom to teach the younger ones. I like this quote that goes something like this: “At 18, we care what everyone thinks about us, at 40, we stop caring what everyone thinks about us, and at 60, we realize that no one’s ever been thinking about us at all!”
I think as long as we’re alive, we’re young enough to learn a thing or two.
After reading this quote, I decided I should live my life like I am 60 years old in experience, and 18 years old in looks. That is, of course, until I turn 61 😉
Tinkerbell, you have the best attitude ever! Do you know that?! 🙂 I think that quotation is hilarious, and so true! It’s time we all start living like we’re 60! Well, you know…minus the bingo games and bocci ball tournaments. 😉
Thanks again for your brilliant comment, Tink!
I would tell my 17yo self to do everything, take advantage of every opportunity given, and don’t sit out if it’s something you want. Push it, girl.
I would also tell my 17yo self not to worry so much about the future and other people and love and what you’ll do when you grow up, etc… When it happens, it happens. Trust. Let it be. Find what you like and enjoy doing it. Hmm. Rings true for my 40yo self as well!
These are such inspiring words, Aimee! You’re right; many of us, at 17, are so worried about what other people think of us and are so concerned about our futures that we forget to enjoy being 17! Now, when we’re older, we can see that things work out the way they’re supposed to, and in the proper timing.
I’ve read your comment over 3 times now and feel more inspired the more that I read it! Thanks so much for dropping by and taking the time to comment. 🙂
harry potter i like it
Haha…yes, I figured many people would like that reference!
Great Post! 🙂
You know, from where I come from, we have some preconceived notions about how to get started to achieve a successful life after you get out of school. It’s like catching a bus, everybody’s getting on it, and make sure YOU don’t miss it!
Well, I’m 22 now, and I just got on a few wrong buses since 17.
Was good at Art and writing in school, everybody said there was no career in it, prepared for Medical School, didn’t make it, got into Engineering, now a Software Engineer, in an IT company, don’t like it, preparing for Business School. I don’t know what I’d tell myself at 17 or even now, I just follow what seems best to me at the time.
I’m happy, but it seems weird to people, they can’t digest this anomaly. :-p
Yes, I think a lot of teenagers go through similar things themselves, Eeshan. It’s difficult being 17 and trying to figure out your life when you’re not really sure exactly what you want to do with your life! There are always pressures from many other people telling you what they think you ought to do, and yet, you’re the one who actually has to live your life.
I think, as in your case, 17 year olds need to test out a few different directions as to where they want to go in life, and they must know that it’s okay to change their mind. I think it’s important to follow your heart and your passions; after all, there is a reason that you are passionate about the things that you are, and you should utilise that passion!
I’m glad you took the opportunity to get on several different buses before you decided on what you want to do for a living! 🙂
Thank you so much for your motivation. I really appreciate it. 🙂
Anytime! 🙂
I agree, who WASN’T in need of some major growth by the age of 17? If you want to go into psychology, it pretty much all pans down to the lack of a completion of the frontal cortex prior to the age of 21. As a 21 year old who pressumably has her frontal cortex fully formed, I really like to look back at my 17 year old self and wonder about what I can learn from her. For instance, I also thought I knew everything at that oh-so-precious age! From that I can gather that no matter how much I convince myself that I understand something fully, there will always be a deeper level that I can try to grasp in the future, or an angle I was missing.
I love this post, it was downright hilarious at times, and Mr. T’s caption had me laughing pretty hard. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Well, that was very well put, Mary! 🙂 And you are exactly right! I have studied Psychology as well and thought of putting in the reference to the lack of development in a 17-year old brain…after reading your brilliant words, I’m kind of regretting I didn’t, now! Haha!
What I love so much about your response is that you compare your current self with your younger self and can see how, even though you may understand much more now, you may not understand everything and are willing to learn. I find that attitude to be quite humble, and something to which I hope to aspire.
Thanks so much for stopping in and for your lovely compliments and insight! 😀
I have a couple of thoughts. First, it seems interesting to me that the brain reaches full development so long after puberty sets in or even completes its process. Because the brain matures so long after hormones rage and life decisions must be made, doesn’t it seem possible that certain life decisions should be made without the prohibiting tendencies of the more logical mature brain?
For instance, my Dad once told me that if he had waited until he was in his thirties to have children, he may well have never had any. After all, to a mature brain having children makes little economical sense. Children are never the least bit cost, time, environmentally, monetarily, or energy efficient.
So, for my Dad there were decisions that needed to be made without the interference that seems to come naturally with the logic of a more mature brain.
Second, I met my wife when I was nineteen and she was seventeen. Our parents used their logical brains to reason that we were in no way ready for what we were about to commit to. Our parents told us that we would be better off pursuing our education and ultimately our careers. Had we listened to them and done the logical thing, I’m sure that we would have no regrets. I’m sure that we would look back and say “Can you believe that we almost committed to something so important and life altering at such an impetuous age?”
And in yet our passion -ever fleeting with age and maturity- we chose to go through with our own reasoning, however untainted by logic. Now we look back and say “Can you imagine that we might have listened to our parents and things wouldn’t be as they are? How regrettable would that have been?”
I believe that beautiful romances and lasting families have sprung from the illogical, passionate and seemingly impulsive reasoning of youth. And that in certain situations mature logic offers no replacement for the impetuosity of youth.
Wow…very interesting. So you wouldn’t talk your 17 year old self out of anything, huh? I can see why, and it looks like you and your wife made the right decision! I certainly appreciate your input and wish I had more to respond with right now, but I just got home from a mini-vacation over the weekend and I don’t think I can contribute anything worthwhile right now…haha.
Thank you so much for dropping by and taking the time to write such an interesting and thoughtful comment!
Not just good advice but delivered with humor, or humour as you would say 😉 All good points. I constantly look at my students as see my 17 year old self (I was that age my first semester). But they gotta just figure out so much on their own and that’s frustrating!
Well, I guess that’s just what being 17 is all about, huh? Thinking you know everything when, more likely than not, you are clueless about a lot of stuff and, as much as others want to help you along, you just kind of have to figure it all out on your own.
Thanks so much for stopping in again, Clay! I appreciate it…even if you make fun of my Canadian spelling… 😉
Awesome advice, I won’t be 17 until the end of this year, but I’ll definitely apply this to my life. I’d have to say I’m not really too confused about my future, but I’m most afraid of not accomplishing my goals. Namely, getting a college degree and a job, publishing books, moving out on my own–basically that I’ll be 30-year-old uneducated failure with only a high school diploma, an endless collection of bottlecaps and unpublished writings to show for my life…but I’m probably exaggerating the possibilities. 😉
Haha! Well, I don’t think you need to worry too much about the bottlecap collection….I mean, those things are cool, aren’t they? 😉
I’m glad that you can take some of the advice, not so much from my post (haha), from this blog…there have been many people who have written incredible comments here that made me feel inspired. Hope it did the same for you! 🙂
As for your goals, don’t fret too much about that. You will accomplish all that you want to as long as you apply yourself and follow your passion in life. Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting, Poetsthoughts!
I’m only a few years removed from 17, but it feels like yesterday. The year I was 17, so far, has been the greatest year of my life. It was my senior year. Perfect year, at that. What would I tell my 17-year-old self? I’d say, “Calm down. Stop taking life so seriously. Relax and go with the flow, but work hard and be persistent and let nobody get in your path to obstruct your hunger for success.”
Happen to have a time machine handy?
Nice post, by the way.
I love that you’re still rather young and you realise the difference between your 17-year old self and yourself currently, and how you’ve learnt so much already! I think that many of us at that age worried so much about our futures and where our lives were headed (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing) that we had a hard time relaxing and enjoying our lives at the stage they were at; we were always anxious to get to the next step, to grow up a little more, and to be more independent.
Sounds like you would have great advice to tell your young self, so…well, I guess I’ll let you use my time machine… 😉
Thanks so much for your kind words and for dropping in and putting in your 2 cents! I certainly appreciate it!
I’d like to tell myself that be more open in character and make more friends.
I’m introverted as born.Social communication is a shortcoming for me,
i’m confident in both work and public consequently.
Whatever, life is still on! Keep walking, anyway!:-)
Yes, it seems as though several people would tell their younger self to be more open and develop friendships with others. Although you may have wished to be more sociable then, it sounds as though you have figured it out and have come out of your shell a little more, so to speak. 🙂
I love the last line of your comment! “Life is still on…keep walking anyway!” So true!
Thanks so much for dropping in and taking the time to comment, Alex! 🙂
Hilarious yet still informational! Interesting writing. But I would NEVER go back and mess with my past…everything that happened, good and bad, got me here, and I am so so happy that I wouldn’t want to change a thing 😉
Aha! Finally!! Someone who wouldn’t want to change a thing! I was wondering when someone like you would show up around here… 😉
Thanks for dropping in and taking the time to comment, Den! You’re such an awesome cyber-bff…
it’s actually very interesting to read this! there are a lot of things i’d like to tell my seventeen-year old self, but they aren’t quite like yours. it’s so cool to think about doing that, though. i wonder if our “seventeen year old selves” would listen to us.
-alexandra
So, what kinds of things would you tell your 17-year old self? To be honest, this was a short list of only 4 things, but I think that there are many more things that I’d want to slap my young self in the face with! Haha.
Thanks so much for your kind words and for taking the time to stop in and comment, Alexandra! 🙂
wow! you’ve been busy! great stuff! I would change a lot of things and certianly go to all my teachers and say help me stay in school! help me get on the right track because I’m not getting it at home! I would wear shorter hair of course…. 🙂
Hmm…very interesting! So you’d want to speak with your old teachers and get them to try to motivate you to continue in your education. Interesting, indeed! Do you think that your young self just wouldn’t listen to you if you tried to say the same thing to yourself (wow…does that even make sense?? Haha), or do you believe that it was truly your teachers’ fault for not inspiring you/motivating you, etc.? I don’t believe anyone else has said anything like that yet, so I’m intrigued to know your answer! 🙂
Also, I just keep picturing you, staring at your 17 year old self, shaking your head, and saying, “Get a haircut, kid…” Haha.
Thanks again for stopping in and commenting, Poetry and Devotion!
I lived in a very divided town, educated and blue collar…I lived in the suburbs and neither one of my parents went to college so it was natural for them to not see the need to inspire me because they were never inspired or curious…it seems like I was never seen or heard as a child. So, the answer to your question – would I listen to myself? yes I really think I would have listened had someone(an adult) put the time into probing, asking questions about what I might want in life, I was malleable, open to learn just not inspired by what was in front of me… making and having $ was the immediate concern, since age 13. Neither my parents nor my teachers ever explored this(career, gifts or interests) with me. I was pretty sure that I was ungifted for most my life.. I’m sure I heard about college in large groups, but you know how that goes..it’s easy to get distracted. I think teachers do have a responsibility to be engaging…as I recall, some of my teachers were just putting in time collecting a check…
So, guess what I have been encouraging my daughters in? gifts, talents, interests, goals ,dreams, pride, etc.
now that my head is shaved, it would be nice to see what my thick hair would have looked like short..too late for that 😉
Wow! I love how honest you are about where you come from and how you wished that someone had encouraged you in your goals and dreams a little more. I agree with you in that there may be teachers out there who only do the job for the cheque, but, thankfully, there are others who desire to inspire and motivate their students as well; I had a teacher like that and she changed my life.
Thanks so much for stopping in again and sharing your thoughts, Poetry! 🙂
Great article. I remember my first weeks of university. I think about 90% of had our own Mr or Miss T’s back in our home town. Most students were very quiet about it though! By the end of the Christmas vacation, the majority of those relationships had come to an end. I broke up with my girlfriend at the beginning of November. To this day she refuses to speak me! Obviouly you were a lot more tactful and diplomatic than I was.
Well, I certainly wouldn’t say that all of my relationships ended as well as that one had!! Haha. He was just really great and we had built the relationship upon the foundation of our friendship, so we were able to continue in that…a very rare thing, these days!
And, yes, I think that many young people (did I really just say “young people”?? That makes me sound so old!!), unfortunately, put way too much emphasis on who they’re dating at the time and what decisions that person makes, and then they tend to base their own decisions upon the same things. It’s scary because that kind of thinking can severely alter your entire life without you even realising it. I can only hope that there are MANY 17 year olds reading this right now and thinking twice before they follow their beloved Mr. T’s to university!! Haha.
Thanks so much for dropping in and commenting, Mark…it’s greatly appreciated, and always wonderful to add another voice to the conversation! 🙂
Just so you know, the saying “Young people” thing doesn’t get any better as time goes by. It gets to the stage where they say “Young people like us…” and you know you have been excluded from that category forever!
Anyway, you have a very intereting and very personal blog. Keep up the good work!
So you’re telling me that it just goes downhill from here?? Great. Haha.
Thanks so much for dropping by again, and for your very kind comments, Mark! 🙂
P.S. Could you give me the link to your blog as well? I can’t find it and it’s not on your gravatar profile, and I’d love to read what else you’ve written!
Thanks for the interest. Here is the link to my blog; Global Ed : International Affairs in Higher Education :
http://globaleduc.wordpress.com/
Feel free to comment on any of the articles. I’m still working on the layout and the content, so all ideas are more than welcome.
Best,
Mark
That’s great! Thanks so much, Mark! I’ll be sure to drop by again soon… 🙂
Loved ur post 🙂
would appreciate it if ud visit my blog as well. thanks 🙂
http://arjun1097.wordpress.com/
Hi Arjun! Thanks so much for visiting and taking the time to read through!
I’ll absolutely stop by your blog as well! 🙂
This is a great post! Funny and well written, just great writing! Thanks so much for posting!
Well, thank you very much for reading! 🙂
Amazing entry, you made me laughed a lot!! I’m 16 now and it’s sooo true, I will keep this entry in my mind as a little advice. I don’t know what I will think later about now-myself but well … haha!
Haha…I’m glad it made you laughed and helped you a little bit too! 🙂 Hopefully, in a few years time, you won’t have nearly as many things to tell your young-self as I did…you’ve got lots of great advice from all of us “older” bloggers… 😉
Thanks so much for dropping by and commenting, Mai!
I’m 21 and have thought about this premise for a while. Wouldn’t it be nice to go back and give your younger self advice? What could I change? Then I think, would I even listen to myself? Would things have been better?
Actually, the person I really want to meet is my 60 year old self. My older self could tell me how things turned out and not to give up on nursing school because I ended up loving my job or I need to keep up my drawing hobby. I just need to know there is something to look forward to and see the fruits of my labor. I want to know if I’m doing the right thing now.
Ah, yes…if only we could all meet our 60 year old selves! Life would be so much simpler, no? Unfortunately, that is not possible, so I think you need to continue with whatever you are passionate about; if it’s nursing, then follow through on that dream, and if it’s drawing, then continue doing it. It is possible to have more than one passion, and I think you should follow whatever drives you and motivates you, because I think that’s what you’re truly meant to do in life. After all, there is a reason that you have those interests, so you should push through and continue doing what you love! 🙂
Thanks again for dropping in and sharing your thoughts, Cerinthe!
I would have believed my Mother when she kept repeatedly telling my 17yr old self…. “Son…you’re gonna turn out to be an idiot if you don’t start growing up…” 🙂
My mom still tells me that and I still don’t believe her… 😉
Thanks so much for dropping by and taking the time to comment!
I have honestly always been a bit afraid of social situations.. as I was bullied through all my school years I have never been able to be fully comfortable with new people as I do not know who to trust or not.
I was actually even afraid to leave the room, thinking they would say something about me as soon as I left.
However now all I have to say is ”Bite me”
Well, then I can only assume that you would have told your young self to be a little more sociable? I’m sorry that you’ve had that fear, as I’m sure we all have at one time or another, but I hope that you can leave a room now with your head held high, being the confident woman that you are!
If not, yeah…you can always just say “Bite me”. 😉
Well actually I think we are the same age.. so technically I still am my young self. Im a 93? you?
Though with the jobs I have the confidence just suddenly bloomed and now I do not care what others think any more.
Of course otherwise I wouldnt have the guts to write what I do on my blog ha
Good for you! I’m glad that you don’t care about others’ opinions of you and you write what is in you to write!
Yeah, I’m still my young self too, just not a clueless 17 year old anymore…haha.
Thanks again for stopping in, Lady bonbon! 🙂
Love this blog. It’s both funny and truthful. As i’m only 19 there’s not too much I’d go back and tell myself…. just yet anyway. Although I agree with everything above. I constantly tell myself to save money, yet it doesn’t happen. Maybe oneday!
Well, you’re the very person that this blog is targeted towards, so pay attention to what all of us “older” people have to say, will ya? 😉
If you save even $20 a week, it will put you over and above what most people your age will have; in just 5 years, you would have $5,200 and that’s if all you do with it is keep it in your sock drawer. Imagine what you would have if you put it into a savings account and received interest from it as well! (<— spoken like a true old person….though, let me be clear, I'm not that old! Haha).
Thanks for stopping in and taking the time to comment, Madiexo! 🙂
It is wild huh? The crazy thing is that as long as we have been saying this or thinking this now, the kids today would have it figured out. They just go along with the same bad decisions that we all did when we were that young. Even though they have heard what not to do.
You’re right, and I guess it’s just part of the process of growing up, huh? When we’re young, we think we know everything and don’t want to listen to anyone else, and when we’re older, we realise that we begin listening to everyone about everything so we don’t make the same mistake! 😉
Thanks again for dropping in, Mindslam!
Sound advice and from a great perspective! At 17, it’s so easy to lose sight of the most important person affected by your decisions. You!
I’ve dreamed this a few times, meeting both younger and older versions of myself from 5 to 95. I tried to describe one of those dream encounters at the end of a recent post called What Parade?. We didn’t actually say anything in that dream, but I think I would probably tell myself, “I love you!”
You know…you’re the first person to say that they would tell their young selves “I love you”. I’m rather shocked by that, really. I think those are words that every 17 year old needs to hear because it’s such an awkward time and nothing you do seems to make sense, and your self-esteem is always so low…it would be nice to hear those words from yourself. 🙂
Thanks for stopping in and commenting, Anne! I’ll be sure to check out that blog post too! 🙂
I would tell myself I’m beautiful and smart and to believe in myself. I would tell myself to stop wasting so much time worrying about what other people thought of me. I would tell myself that I should spend SOME of my time doing something I TRULY love, and not to spend too much time on people who are fake friends.
Great post!
Ooh…that is GREAT advice!! Man, where were you when I was 17?? 😉
Thanks so much for stopping in and for putting in your 2 cents, troismommy! It’s so very much appreciated! 🙂
I was seriously scared for about 30 seconds when you mentioned dating Mr T. Hey, somebody must have dated him?
Haha! Yeah, can you imagine that girl?? She probably has a thing for guys who keep the same haircuts throughout their entire lifetime, and have nothing but scoop-neck tank tops in their wardrobe.
On the plus side, though, she probably got to borrow his jewellery… 😉
Thanks for stopping in and taking the time to comment, ESTJ! Much appreciated!
Had i the chance to give some advice to my 17yr old self…I’d advice him to explore more,to take more chances and do things he really wants to do…
P.S. – nice blog…thanks for sharing 🙂
Ooh…yeah, that’s good advice! In fact, I think that’s good advice even for the current you! And the current me!
Thanks for dropping by, Epizeuxis! Feel free to visit again soon! 🙂
Great tips! Now get to work and find some lonely, horny nerds at that college of yours to build you a time machine!
Trust me, I’m working on it. I’m having a bit of trouble, though, because the nerds don’t seem to see the merit that I do in using all of our resources to build a time machine, simply for my own enjoyment.
Selfish nerds…
Hello.
I really enjoyed reading your post. I actually read it months ago but over time,I kept thinking about it. I began searching for this article again because I needed to read it again,(if that makes any sense.)
You see,I am 17 years old.
And no. I don’t want to grow up. I wish i was this age forever.
Next year,Ill be moving out living all by myself in this cruel world. Dont get me wrong, sometimes I hate living with my parents and the occasional problems at home (when I’m mad at the world because my mom found another way to annoy me) and I cant wait to leave this “shit hole” thats also my home sweet home. And I do love my parents dearly.
I don’t want to grow up. Its a sad realization but I any older and Ill become 18. I dont want to end up like people who say “where have all my years gone.” and “Biggest mistake I ever made.”
I never accomplished anything.
And I want to accomplish something while Im underage. I hate thinking about my future and where Ill be in ,5,10,15,20 years. Its worrying me so much to the point that I feel like I’m just watching days go by.
I just wish I could move away to a little cottage somewhere with perhaps my non-existent soul mate and live a simple life without many worldly things. And give myself some kind of self education or life education and spend the rest of my days helping the poor,visiting the sick,being true to God and fearing him for all my sins and being a good person so I can spend eternal bliss in heaven in the after life.
After all, money, and materialistic things will bring nothing to me in the after life. Only our knowledge(and what we did with it) and good deeds and how sincere we were for repenting a sin and worship to only the Almighty will matter then. Whats our average life expectancy like, Oh yes, We’ve all seen it countless times. Born, stays at home for a while,goes to school,then college,works,makes $$,uses $$,gets married,has babies,raises babies,retires, possible gran babies,dies. For me personally,Im in between school and college. 😀 YIPEE! Backbiting,gossip,hot trends,trying to get rich,spreading rumors,talking about pointless things,dating,lying,being-someone-your’e-not just-to-impress, cheating,being fake,trying to get big boobs and butt,hot pics and likes on facebook,followers on twitter and what people think about appearance and such is SO NOT what this life Im living in is or at least SHOULD BE about. Lets go back to the basics, God created us to worship him and if we really loved him…We’d do anything he ordered.
As for now, Im saying it not because I know EVERYTHING but I do know something. Theres gotta be more to life. This isnt it. When will I realize this and actually practice what I preach?When will everyone around me see it! What if I die this way?
Welcome to my life.
Hey Olivia!
First of all, thanks for not only reading this post once, but for searching for it just to read it again! Wow…that’s really sweet of you. Thank you. 🙂
As for everything else, do you know what I like about you? I like that you’re thinking beyond the walls of your high school and looking for greater meaning and purpose in life. You’re right – there’s more to life than what we see, and more than what we could possibly ever realise. For a 17 year old, you sure have a good handle on what reality truly is, and what is truly important in life (hint: it’s not all about gossip, fake boobs, nor money)…LOVE the fact that you’re deeper than most people your age. Keep your focus on God, your family, and your future…’cause you’ve got a pretty bright one ahead of you.
Of this, I am sure.
Much love my young friend! xo
It is great to see you back again! I really miss your posts; they cheered me up a lot on the long commuter ride that I used to have. Do start blogging again. There are a lot of people who must miss your talent and your wit as much as myself. Best, Mark
Hey Mark! Thanks so much for your kind words…they’re definitely appreciated! Yes, it’s been quite some time since I’ve written anything…it’s amazing how busy life can get! Still, that’s no excuse!
Thanks again, Mark…hope you’re doing well!