Adults Share Life Lessons That Every Teenager Should Know

Don't know it all...

Adults don't have it all figured out.

They are just used to the fact that they are not and are usually quite good at hiding it.

Dealing with your emotions will become easier as you grow.

Even if someone says that their high school years were the best time of their life, doesn't mean that yours should necessarily be, there's a high chance your best years are far ahead of you.

sahejoma

Not You

2 related messages.

1. almost nobody gives a crap about you
2. that is amazing news. Kryten_2X4B_523P

I always used to cringe when I remembered an embarrassing situation that happened to me, because I would worry about what others thought of me. Nowadays I don't really care and I always keep in mind that everyone has been through some embarrassing things as well, which means they probably cringe more about themselves than me, the same way I cringe about myself and totally forget about others.

Boboritooo

Tell the Truth

Parents mess up too. Good parents openly admit their wrongs and use it as a teaching moment.

our3isnow2withnou

This! Apologize to your kids if you mess up! I can't tell you how many times I have yelled or placed blame when I shouldn't have. I always, always apologize and explain-- we are only human and we mess up too.

When you don't apologize to your kids, you teach them to be unapologetic when they are grown as well.

figstea123

The Best

I came here to say what my father told me the day before I started high school- don't ever let anyone tell you that this is the "best time of your time". Yeah you should enjoy this time, its fun because you start to get more independence and start to become your own person but life SHOULD keep getting better and more interesting as you get older.

motoguzzikc

the clean-up

Basic household "management". Learn how to cook a couple of meals, know when to tidy/clean up a bit etc. Speaking from someone who moved out at 18 and had no clue. Oh and look after yourself physically and mentally.

NoxWillow

The summer before I went to university, my mom gave me a bootcamp in adult self-reliance.

I did the laundry, the dishes, cooked most meals and kept a big chunk of the house clean.

She also required me to demonstrate at least three or four main meals, a breakfast, and a dessert to a decent standard.

She wanted to be sure that when I was living under my own steam I'd be able to look after my space and feed myself more than just toast and instant noodles.

Turns out, most of the people I lived with in university couldn't do half of that, and the best way to make friends in university is to offer chocolate cupcakes on day one.

Ruadhan2300

Years & Years.....

Right now you have a massive span of life in front of you. Enjoy it. But remember ten or twenty years from now you're going to be much happier if you both had fun and also thought ahead.

Read. Exercise. Hug your friends. Show your loved ones you love them, whatever that means to you.

This thread might be filled with ways to be a responsible adult and a successful person. Try as hard as you can to be a happy one too.

Edit: Thanks for the awards, and thanks for being you. Sorry for the typo. And yes, maybe wait til Covid is over before hugging everyone? Just keep it in mind for when things are better.

Agnostros

be crazy.....

You will make mistakes and sometimes those mistakes will be huge. But, that's ok. Whatever problem that mistake produced, it's only temporary. You can correct it. It may not be easy and it may take time, but you can do it.

teknrd

Elphie?

Being popular doesn't matter as much as you think it does.

crooked_scalpel

Just.... Don't.....

Don't blow your student loan on drugs.

Don't blow your load in someone you don't want kids with.

Don't blow off family/friend gatherings. They won't be around forever.

Don't blow your cool if you can help it. It rarely solved anything.

Metals189

back in the day...

You won't give a crap about things that happened in high school when you're in college/working.

tellthemimsleeping

Keep Running

I played sports in high school and I was a pretty good runner. I was also a musician in the school band. Now in my 30s the only thing I still care about from high school is that I wish I hadn't let myself get out of shape, or stop playing music. Those things become harder to find the time to improve at as you get older.

I did eventually start running again to lose weight and I'm still a runner today but I'm no where near as good.

rckid13

be okay....

Don't compare yourself to others too much. No matter how perfect someone may seem, they're not. Nobody is. Everybody has flaws and makes mistakes. You're okay.

mymiddlenameswyatt

Make a Mess

Learn how to screw up. We spend too much of our lives trying to do everything right, but the best lessons come from learning from our mistakes.

IHaveAProtuberance

I'm reading the Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k by Mark Manson right now. He does a really good job explaining why only pursuing positive experiences in life is itself a negative experience. I highly recommend anyone who is interested to read the book.

snickrdodle

Feeling Good

The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something before you feel good about yourself.

SpookSpookMan

To add to that, you gotta take care of yourself. Not just your physical self, your mental health too.

The world will ignore it but you gotta protect and care for yourself like you would for a close friend. Even if you have tons of friends, be your own best friend too. Look out for that dude, he'll thank you later for it.

Conscious_Cranberry7

HR Issues

No matter where you work, HR is not your friend.

claire0

This was a rude awakening for me working for a so-called social justice organization and learning that behind the scenes its just a company that runs a low-wage front line like any other company. old fashioned worker exploitation.

sapho_lips

Simply the Best

If somebody tries to tell you "these are the best years of your life", that's absolute horse-crap. Your quality of life and how much fun you are allowed to have is not dictated by your age. And it's naïve to assume all teenagers have it easy.

RoseyDove323

Soap it Up

Personal hygiene is critical. You need to shower regularly (soap on armpits, crotch, and ass crack), use antiperspirant, brush and floss, and do your laundry. Other people will notice your funk long before you do and once you're known as the smelly person, it's nearly impossible to clear that reputation.

Make it a rule that you don't leave your house unless you've showered within the last 24 hours, are wearing clean underwear, and have brushed your teeth and put on deodorant within an hour prior to leaving. It sounds silly but there is sadly a large population that needs to improve their hygiene.

will_dog2019

The Add Up

Everything compounds: your savings, your reputation, your career, etc. Get started early because playing catch up is hell. The one thing I would really emphasize is to learn about household finances/budgeting, saving, and investing. Take the standard of living you want and figure out what level of income it will take to achieve and sustain it. Then compare that income to your "follow your dream" job.

It is fine to follow your dreams, but know what the trade-offs are, the likely outcomes will be, and have a plan B. Start saving now and open an investment account and an education IRA. It's amazing what a few thousand wisely invested as a teen can grow to over a lifetime.

dog_fart_tacos

Get a Pen

3 things I wish I had known:

Figure out what you want to do....

Not what you want to learn about. Think about the actual work you'd be doing in a "field". Science is exciting but are you ready to stand around in a lab all day writing stuff down in the most thorough way possible?

Money stuff....

You don't get rich with the money you earn, you get rich with the money you don't spend. Be careful spending money on trends and be aware of things you want to actually keep, not that you want to have right now. Also Excel is your friend, learn to budget as soon as possible.

Use every opportunity you get....

It may feel like there's always a next time but there's also no reason to not do it now. Whether it's that trip with your buddies or the chance to have a private moment with your crush. Don't wait for a perfect moment, not even a good one, use the moment you have, because you won't always get another one. And you most certainly don't want to have a "what if I did that" thing haunting you. There's always a million reasons not to do something. You only need one reason to do something.

frerky5

We Know

The adults giving you advice to avoid certain mistakes will most likely of been told the exact same thing and choose to ignore it, which would of been expected as they too ignored the advice.

Gingrpenguin