Things I Wish I Could Tell My 18 Year Old Self

Everyone would love to have a chance to talk to their younger self, for whatever reason. Maybe they want to give them some advice that'll make things easier in the future, maybe it's to avoid something altogether. If you're like me you wanna go back in time and slap your younger self right in their stupid naïve face.

First thing I'd do is tell myself to think shit through more. Is it really going to be beneficial to spend all of your money on takeout, tobacco and drink? Of course it isn't beneficial. It sure was fun though. The thing I'd say is to watch the frequency I was doing it. When most of the money you have goes on that shit you know you're doing things wrong.

I'd tell myself not to make any big decisions without considering all options first. Especially not decisions that will last long term like, say, who you're gonna live with for a full fucking year. That's really not something you just decide and go with.

I was stuck with a psychotic landlord, after a few months in the house an ex-girlfriend/roommate, and another room mate that was just the most difficult person I have ever had the displeasure of knowing. And I put up with it because that was really the only option I could see.

Truth is there was probably a bunch of things I could have done. I wasn't on a contract so I guess I could have left at any point. This is the reason I'd slap myself. Forcing yourself to put up with the shittiest of conditions does not equate to strength. It just means you're being a stubborn dickhead.

There's also a couple of all nighters I've had to pull because I left an essay until the last minute, or I had an exam tomorrow and I never went to any lectures. I was 18 and I stayed at home for a full week and watched every episode of Dragon Ball Z because I remembered I hadn't seen it since I was a child. There's like 290 episodes, not including the films. Time well spent.

That didn't turn out so well when I had to pay for repeats the following semester. It also felt pretty shit going into an exam with absolute certainty that you'll fail. Not the "oh god I'm so gonna fail this exam" bullshit that people post before they come out with an A+. I mean going in for the sake of trying, sitting down and reading the paper knowing you don't know any of it. Answer one or two the best you can then leave as soon as you are allowed.

Take more chances to have fun that doesn't involve drinking. There's a tonne of clubs in college that I joined and never went to, then complained that I didn't have any friends. Somehow it never clicked with me that never leaving my house is obviously the reason I never meet people.

I'd tell myself not to change most of the shit though. Not everything turned out so great but fuck it, I'm the last person to post positivity shit like 'Live. Laugh. Love' and all of that bollocks but the shit's what makes people who they are.

One or two things I'd change. Definitely- but in the end...