We had a discussion in the office today about what we wish we’d known or had started doing when we were teenagers. After some thought, here’s my list of advice to my younger self:
- Start now wearing Factor 30 sunblock, every single time you go out, on your face but especially on hands and the little triangle of chest that shows under a v-neck. You’ll look 20 years younger when you’re 50.
- Don’t copy all your school-mates who say they’re not going to bother revising for exams. They’re just trying to be cool. They will revise and therefore will get much better marks than you.
- Start now saving 5% of all your pocket money and Saturday job money into an interest-bearing account. Keep on doing it when you start work. Keep all the interest you earn in the account. The miracle of compound interest will mean you can probably retire at 40.
- Don’t drop out of education. Go to university, it isn’t horrible like school. You can learn really interesting things there, plus have lots and lots of naughty fun.
- Rebelling doesn’t (necessarily) mean dressing the same as and doing the same things as all your rebellious friends. To put it another way, being rebellious isn’t all about image.
- Be loud when you want to be, don’t worry what boys will think.
- Realise that the Catholic church isn’t just about rules, regulations and horrible priests. Check out what lies behind it. The mysticism of the East can be found closer to home as well, although generally without the smell of patchouli.
- Don’t duck all gym and sports classes because you’re a klutz. Learn not to be a klutz and learn to enjoy the strength of your body.
- Don’t let anyone tell you you’re not artistic.
- Realise you are a unique and fantastic human being, and don’t give a flying fart what anyone thinks of you.
So what do you wish you’d known when you were a teenager?
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{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Tess, these are so great, so much wisdom and lots of humor. And of course the “naughty fun” comment makes me want to sit down with you over a glass of wine and share college stories!
Not sure I have much to add, except that I wish as a teen I had known that one day I would find a man who loved me so deeply and unconditionally for the whole of who I was. It would have saved me a whole lotta heartache. I also would have told myself that being smart really does mean something when you’re an adult.
Only one thing: just hang on. It *does* get better as you get older.
Great advice — one can apply in the middle adult years, too!
To the points related to education/learning I would add:
Know there are different types of learning styles and intelligence (beyond the IQ score).
Please excuse my less than usual visits and comments. I’m alternating between very high tech (learning new computer software) and low tech (trail walking with my dog) activities on my stay-at-home vacation.
You got me with # 9 & 10. I wish I had known that, too.
If I’d only known then what I know now! I might have avoided all sorts of mistakes in my life – but then I wouldn’t have become the person I am today, for whom the mistakes I made provided important ways of learning about life and about myself!
You know what, if the me who exists now whooshed in a tardis to visit the teenage me (can I have a quick snog with the Doctor before we get there? He’s cute) I probably would have blown the future me off anyway
Except for the artistic part. I reckon if I had said to her to not lock it away and repress it for 25 years but to get it out, and if I could have somehow provided a safe environment for her to do that (which was why she locked it all away in the first place), then that is what I would do for the me back then. But anyways … I’m doing it now for her
Good list, Tess!
The things I’d add may be on my list because I’m probably older than most of you…
- label and date ALL of your photos now.
- ask to see old family photos while the people who know who is who are still alive to ask. Label those old family photos now.
- ditto for listening to the old family stories, who owned what piece of furniture, what else did Sarah draw after the flower she drew in 1837?
- don’t start smoking: you’ll smell bad and burn money.
- keep a medical file on yourself so you don’t have to think of when what happened. Yes, I’m a nurse!
Cheers!
Great comments, everyone! There are lots of things I’m glad my teenage self did and didn’t do, as well, and I probably haven’t turned out too badly!
people that “turn out badly” don’t often write great lists like this! i agree with elaine about learning these in the middle years…it is never too late to change something or start doing something as long as you’re still breathing!
i think i will add one as i think of my own children and what i am certain they will say.
“i wish i had listened to my very smart mother and realized how totally cool she was to play with.”
Lucy, I think that a cool mother is definitely a great asset!!
Great stuff! I was a rebellious teen that viewed things as black and white. Right and wrong. So I moved out at 16 and learned that we all make mistakes.
Hello Tai, welcome here and thanks for your comment. Be horrible if we didn’t make mistakes wouldn’t it? How would we learn?
I’m late to the party (as usual) but I was inspired by this to follow suit on my own blog. It really gave me an opportunity to think about the things that made me who I am today, for better or for worse. Thanks for sharing these thoughts, Tess.