If you could go back to talk to yourself when you were 17, what specific pieces of advice about life would you give?

Nothing. Whatever wisdom I have (and it ain’t much) has been gained by muddling my way through the best I could. I’ve learned as much from my wrong turns as from my “brilliant” ideas. I wouldn’t go back and try to change that trajectory in the least.

Had I ever caused anyone great pain out of my own ignorance, then that might warrant a corrective trip back in time, but luckily I don’t think that’s been the case.

Knowing what I know now, if a future “me” were to appear before me offering sage advice, I think I’d beat him off with a stick.

lotto numbers for the next few lotto draws.
(even though im not yet 17 thats what i’d do!)

Get with more girls.

Work more, because you’re gonna move to San Diego and spend everything you made.

Don’t be a cook.

Come on, let’s go to the beach, you need a break.

I wouldn’t bother I was an idiot at 17 and probably wouldn’t listen.

Also all the stupid stuff I did has made me who I am today and I’m ok with that.

Me being 15 – going back to 17 – head hurtzzzz! OVERLOAD!

If I could tell myself at seventeen to change some things, I wouldn’t. Sure, I made a lot of mistakes between seventeen and thirty nine. Those mistakes taught me things and made me grow into the person I am today. Those mistakes have made me a better wife and mother. Life is about experiencing good and bad, getting through the bad and loving and enjoying the good. I am at a point in life at this moment where everything is good.

When I was 17, I had my backpack full of dreams with no idea how to make things work, so I think I’d say to myself…
Love hurts, it can leave you emotionally disabled
Money is wonderful, but please, do not spend that much on disposable things….
Status, you’ll be fine, you just have no idea :)

Thank you flameboi! You got the question. Everyone else seems to think I was asking about how they would change their 17 year old selves. Not one bit. I asked about the advice you would have given yourself to ease your passage through the tribulations to come. I did not ask what you would have changed!

I would have told myself that even though I didn’t officially set any goals at all, I still had secret goals, and they would cause me enormous problems. I would have said I should try to understand my burden better, so I could either work more diligently towards it, or give it up.

Thank you daloon,
I forgot one think, I’d say to myself, DO NOT GO TO THE MATRIX RELOADED PREMIERE, your life will be much happier a few years after if you don’t :s

@flameboi: so, don’t leave us hanging… why, man? Why should you not have gone to that flick?

I’d remind myself that being alone is better than being with the wrong girl.

Not to be so self-involved. Everyone is thinking about him, herself and not watching and criticising you (me, that is.)

@daloon
I met someone that’s been around since then (make the count how many years!), and left me emotionally disabled for a long time… is the kind of person you wish you should have never met, got me now?

@flameboi: gotcha! Now that’s an attempt to change history. But I understand.

relationships: keep doing what you are, but once you have helped people and given your advice, step back and let them do the rest. because regardless of your warnings, they won’t learn about their mistakes until they make the mistake themselves.
money: you were smart for saving, keep it up !
status: continue being yourself and you won’t end up in the wrong circles.

I guess I didn’t have that many problems at 17….

Use birth control. The end.

Don’t bother with the double major. It will only burn you out and prevent you from doing what you really want to do.

The friends you’ll meet in college honestly won’t care that you’re gay. Don’t wait so long to tell them.

There are worse things than being single. Being in a relationship that you’re not happy in is one of them.

What would you say about relationships?
“It’s pointless for me to say this to you because you’re never going to believe it now (your relationship is different!), but when your first real relationship ends, you are absolutely going to feel like the entire world is completely over. It’s not. And you’ll laugh about it a few years later.”

What would you say about money?
“Credit companies make things sound great and really easy to pay off…but that isn’t that case. Don’t get any credit cards until after college!”

What would you say about status?
Not sure.

Everything is less important than it appears. Take risks and don’t be afraid to try new things.

Stuff doesn’t matter. Save and you’ll have even more in the future.

I haven’t figured out status yet. It has it’s place but not with the people that you might think.

Yes, he likes you too, but when he asks you out say no. He’s an idiot, don’t waste your time. That boy over there looks nice.
Listen to mom about money. She’s very smart when it comes to this. (Oh geez, I just told myself to listen to my mother..)
Be happy with what you’ve got and who you are. You’ve got a good life, with very little bad. Be thankful.
P.S.- It only gets better.

Save some more money so that when you graduate college you will have more than spare change to your name.

You’ve got a good life and you know it, keep thinking that way, don’t waste time and opportunities because you think you are supposed to do or be something more. All you will end up doing is denying yourself the things that will make you happiest.

Yes, he loves you too, but do NOT fall in love with your best friend’s boyfriend.