Millennials Share The Things They Wish They Did When They Were Younger

"I wish I would have taken time..."

"I regret going to college without a plan. I wish I would have taken time to grow up first instead of wasting time and money on something that never panned out. I wish I knew my strengths and interests earlier in life so that I could have perused them better."

attackedmoose

Many people do not have plans when they go to college—we should normalize taking gap years.

"I should have..."

"I should have looked after my teeth."

tomsomethingorother

This is a big one.

If you don't take care of your teeth, it catches up with you sooner rather than later.

"I regret not quitting..."

"I regret not quitting smoking earlier... Or just not smoking to begin with."

Karenspeople

Don't smoke, people!

The sooner you quit, the less damage in the long run.

"I had enough..."

"Been more careful with money. I had enough and saved some so I didn't pay attention. The truth is that when you first start your career is the time to stash that money away."

"You need less and you want less when you're young. You're willing to put up with smaller digs, single beds, and more roommates with furniture you got off the curb. Save all of that money."

eggplantsrin

Stashing that money away pays dividends in the long run.

Let me tell you, it brings me great peace of mind to know that I have plenty saved in the bank.

"Once you're out of school..."

"Sought assistance for ADHD sooner and more thoroughly. Once you're out of school the support kind of disappears and the tools for school aren't the same ones you need for the workplace."

eggplantsrin

Sadly, many students are not prepared for this reality when they leave school.

The transition must be smoother.

"I wish I'd had enough confidence..."

"I wished I'd had enough confidence to try out more fashion and take risks so I didn't end up in my late 30s looking like an advertisement for seniors' clothing with no clue how to dress."

eggplantsrin

Developing your own sense of style can be so much fun!

It's never too late!

"Instead..."

"Buying a house. I always assumed you needed 20% to buy one and purposely waited thinking the market was inflated back in like 2015. I had the money and could've bought had I known you could do as little as 3 or even 5% down."

"I could've had a house in my area that would be worth double if not more than it was in 2015. Instead I will probably never be able to afford a house where I want to live."

alphalegend91

The bubble is bound to burst sooner or later.

This can't last forever.

"I regret settling..."

"I regret settling for crappy jobs for so long. I found a great one 3 years ago and it's made my quality of life exponentially better."

apathyontheeast

You have that good job now!

Don't worry about it now!

"Holding my 401Ks..."

"Holding my 401ks and saving them instead of selling them. If you leave a company and have a 401k, just roll it over into an IRA, don't sell it. Let that build."

TheRealOcsiban

I could have done this a few years back but needed the money right then and there.

I paid a penalty for that, but to be honest, it was worth it in the long run.

Everyone's situation is different.

"I wish I would have taken..."

"I wish I would have taken some time off in between high school and pursuing my bachelors. Also wish I would have gone to a trade school, not necessarily for a career, but to have some genuinely useful skills."

stojaalbers

Again—we should normalize taking a gap year!

Very few people know what they would like to do at such a young age and it's good to keep your options open!

You live and you learn.

Regret?

It's overrated.

It's much harder—but more fruitful—to focus on the now.

Have some thoughts of your own? Feel free to tell us more in the comments below!