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04 November 2010
What would you say to your 16-year-old self?→[More:]This is a trending topic on Twitter at the moment (#tweetyour16yearoldself).
In the summer of 1987 someone is going to offer you a beer in a place where an underage person shouldn't have a beer. Don't drink it! Bad things ensue.
Meanwhile, lighten up in other ways and have fun, it's all going to turn out all right.
In algebra, the letters are simply placeholders, it's not like the letter A has a specific value so stop trying to make a = 1 because it's the first letter of the alphabet. The entire equation is like a little calculator and seriously, it's kind of fun once you stop freaking out about it.
You're not as smart as you think you are. Shut up sometimes.
You're smarter than you think you are. Speak up, but thoughtfully.
Be kinder. Be more patient. Be more demanding. These are not mutually exclusive.
You can't see your own privilege. Listen more, and put yourself in someone else's shoes.
Good job with the sunscreen! Keep it up even after your Goth wears off.
Your parents are doing the best they can. That doesn't mean it's enough. The sooner you see that and can let it go, the sooner you'll be capable of real happiness and love.
Take more risks. Get some experience with rejection and failure so you don't spend much of your life driving yourself nuts living in fear of those things. Shit'll be alright.
Drop out of high school earlier. Stay in Europe. Take birth control seriously but get off the pill now. Transfer to a better college & get a grad degree while you're young.
It is sensible to be cautious of others reactions to you based on your looks, and right to want your mind and creativity to be noticed and enganged. Find a way to do that other than the extreme defensive position you have created: that this is simply not true.
go to the college you got the full scholarship for even though it wasn't Penn State where everyone else was going and no one in your family had ever gone to college so they didn't really know how to be happy for you or how to help you. it wasn't their fault. go live in dorms and have that college experience you will otherwise be screwed out of.
I don't think 16 yr old me would be very interested in my life insights. But would judge me harshly for having squandered and compromised something or other.
15 years old might be better for me. Anyway. I'd tell myself to apply myself in school. Yeah, it's boring but it's important. Do the damn homework and quit watching so much MTV. Quit choir and take photography instead. Take Spanish instead of French and keep up with it! Take computer classes. Quit eating crap, get off your ass and get healthy. Tell mum you need therapy and anti-depressants. Spend more time with Nonnie (my grandmother) and ask questions! Refuse to move in with bio-father when Mum and step-dad split-up (live with Auntie or Nonnie instead). Buy stock in Apple and Microsoft.
Yes, I've thought about this quite a bit. Why do you ask?
Go to Nick's 16th birthday party, but don't go to his house. Ever. You'll end up dealing with some serious shit if you do. But really, do go to the birthday party because that's where you meet the BF.
So I'm the only one who still feels like a 16 year old in most ways?
Heh...Ok, maybe I'd have a couple bits of advice...that inheritance? Don't spend it all on booze, ok? Oh and...don't date Barb til you're 20...that's just dumb.
DON'T go to the college that offers you a scholarship. It will suck bigtime. Instead, get 200 miles away from your parents at Cal Poly, SLO. Get involved with the college radio station. Whatever you do, avoid using "Wendell" or "Craig Lee" as your DJ name (for different reasons). In your Junior Year you'll meet a Freshman named Al. Make friends with him.
And if you ever meet a dark-haired, large woman named Deborah who bats her eyelashes at you, RUN AWAY. FAST.
You're about to make some very dumb mistakes about your personal life. I know what you're thinking. "More?" Yes, more, and very dumb. Ha ha ha oh MAN you're SO FUCKED. I wish I could help you out here, but if it's not these mistakes it will be others. You are who you are. What am I going to do, give you super powers? Making you listen to advice from an adult—that would be a super power.
But at least listen to this. Forget English; study math. And don't go to Reed. This advice you might listen to, because I know you just pick this shit out of a hat, you asshole.
It's OK to break up with people. Being in a bad relationship because you don't want to be perceived as a bad person for dumping your boyfriend is insanely stupid.
Learn to set up reasonable expectations and meet them rather than expecting perfection and then, because you can't measure up to that, giving up and doing nothing.
You are an autumn and you have a short neck and are well-endowed, so quit wearing black turtlenecks. And grow out those bangs. Also, you have naturally wavy hair, so stop perming your hair and get some layers cut into it.
Start volunteering in media now. By the time you graduate from whatever post-secondary program you take, you'll have a resume full of experience.
You know, kid, sometimes shit just doesn't work out like you planned and that's ok. Be flexible. Sometimes, you even end up with kids. I know you didn't expect it even when you were 26 and having the time of your life, but a couple of years later, your life will change a lot. Stuff happens. A lot of people do ok with how life works and you should relax.
You aren't perfect. No one is. It's ok.
Maybe you should think about sociology instead of hard sciences as a major in college. Who knows, really? You've been doing computer support for years now and there was no college training for that at the time.
Also, if you think you are better leaving a relationship and dealing with anything else on your own, you very likely are. You don't have to be so scared.
Her name is Kathy. Wait for Kathy. She'll love you so, so hard, don't let her out of your arms. Don't be mean. If you can get away from working for family and if you can slow down your drinking and drugging (or quit, you stubborn bastard!) you won't break her heart or your own. Do this right and you can have a life. Do it wrong and trash your life. And hers.
photo by splunge
photo by TheophileEscargot
photo by Kronos_to_Earth
photo by ethylene
