What advice would you give 20 year old you? (WatchingThemGrow, this is for you as wel

[momm]

For WatchingThemGrow's reading pleasure ;)

What advice would you give 20 year old you/ in your 20s you?
( Here I'm assuming most of us are 30 or above. )

Mine:

Stop taking things so seriously.. enjoy the ride, enjoy grad school and all the student orgs and all the people you are meeting. In your 30s and when you have "settled down" you won't be meeting people, much less meeting new people, all the time.
Enjoy the randomness and freedom and don't be so stuck on not having met "the one". (haha, I really was.)

[Fairy]

PUT DOWN THE FRAKKIN' PIZZA AND LOSE THE WEIGHT NOW.

Check your boobs every single month.

Slow down, the cops are cloaked. Yes, I know 45 seems like tortise speed in this area, but just do it, ok?

When it's time to choose TV or radio, go with radio.

Take some computer classes.

The bungee jumping story will get you nowhere, so just skip it.

She's a dumb-ass, don't be friends with her.

[daisymommy]

Stop waiting for the life you want to happen. Create it. Now.

[WolfpackMom]

I second that "quit taking things so seriously" and would add "you don't need that particular boyfriend in order to make you feel worthy." I would also push myself more to go to grad school for what I wanted rather than focusing on law - since I ended up deciding not to go to law school anyways.

Then again, I dont regret a thing I did because how else would I have ended up right here where I am now? :P

[Melaine]

Enjoy the phase you are in and quit trying to rush to the next one.

Stop worrying about every little thing (I would repeat that to myself every year from about age 7 to my dying day)

Don't put so much effort into people who aren't reciprocating.

[edurnemk]

Don't postpone your Grad school plans for any man. Yes he's The One, but he can wait. And along the same lines, don't get married before 28.

Live abroad on your own for a while.

Don't be afraid to say No. Be more assertive.

Stop being soooo responsible, you hate the job and it's not opening any doors for you, so quit already.

[cvanbrunt]

Academics is over rated. You will be paid s#&% for incredibly hard work. Work in industry, the best science is done there and will be appreciated and compensated.

Have kids a little younger.

Try Pilates. Turns out you do really like to exercise.

Don't get dogs. They live to be a thousand and become incontinent.

Learn to scuba dive now. Turns out you like that too.

[LKMang]

Travel more!!! Go anywhere and everywhere!

Don't be such a homebody! Start the road trips earlier! (I started this in my late-20s and had a blast but it would have been tons more fun with more energy).

Enjoy your life. Things changed abruptly in my family in my late-20s, I wish I would have cherished it more.

Love your mom. Spend as much time as possible with her. She isn't going to be around much longer :(

[hillview]

Relax a little (but not too much)
You are not fat (when you are almost 40 you will put on some weight)
Don't marry that first guy
That guy your mom wanted you to call but you didn't is THE ONE
/hillary

[ThreeofUs]

1. You know you're bored silly, stop listening to your family and do what you need to do.
2. Start working your butt off and taking life seriously. You'll have a lot more fun AND you'll feel more satisfied.
3. Find out what life would look like if you respected yourself and demanded others respect you as well.
4. Love isn't enough. Respect matters (see 3). Drop him.
5. Ask your mom to tell you what she really thinks vs tactful niceties.
6. Find a mentor. Now. And accept their hard advice.

[wolverine2]

Go backpack around Europe while you still have the chance!!

[Melaine]

Relax a little (but not too much)
You are not fat (when you are almost 40 you will put on some weight)
Don't marry that first guy
That guy your mom wanted you to call but you didn't is THE ONE
/hillary

Oh yes, I forgot my big one:

Dear 20 year old self: Don't criticize or be disappointed in your body. It's going to be quite some time before it really deserves the criticism. Appreciate your abs while you can still see that they are, indeed, there.

[boolady]

Ugh. Where to start?

[elektra]

1) swing for the fences
2) wear more sunscreen
3) girl, you look good and you don't even know it! Appreciate it!

[JoyNChrist]

I'm 25, but I do have one:

Elope. You want to, your fiancé wants to, and the wedding you spend so much time planning and so much money on really is not worth the stress. Elope and take a fabulous honeymoon.


I SO wish we had done that!

[megs4413]

Just get married already. You'll be so much happier!

Be kinder! You're too critical of everyone and everything!

Quit school. It's a giant waste.