Advice you'd give the you from 10 years ago

[Taco-Calamitous]

We all have things we wish we would've done differently. Things we should've done, things we should not have done, etc. You can't change the past (unless you meet and befriend Doc Brown) but what if you could send advice back to yourself ten years in the past? What would you tell yourself? I would tell myself...

-Do your damned school work. It's not that hard, it doesn't take too much effort. Just a couple hours a day out of your goofing off time. (Seriously; I suddenly woke up my Senior year and got straight A's the first semester. Got a couple B's the second, but hey; was a vast improvement over the year before.) Also, sign up for the friggen' SAT's!!

-Don't worry so much about what people think of you. The people who don't like you for whatever reason are probably not going to like you anyway. They're either going to think you're weird because you're shy and don't talk much, or they're gonna think you're weird because you're a dork. Hey; at least you'll get along better with the open-minded people you'd be talking to if you talked. (I'm slowly figuring this one out over time. Sometimes, I still take some convincing.)

-Those things you dream about doing, but never even try to do? DO THEM!! Practice the guitar/bass/keyboards/whatever. Write stories. Try out for plays.

-If it isn't funny to you, it probably isn't funny to anyone else. (Actually, I probably mostly realized this by then.)

-Don't assume things about other people. Don't assume they are going to think or do something a specific way. The best way to figure out what they will think of something is to talk to them about it. But then you'll have to get out of your shell...

-Apply for a part time job NOW!! That way, you will have experience, and they won't be able to turn you away due to that later. (This would've especially helped, given the high unemployment rate that appeared in Oregon right after that time...)

-Do hard things/finish what you start. If there's a task at hand that appears difficult, just jump into it head first and do the best you can. If it doesn't work out, hey; at least you tried.

My thoughts on saying all of this is that maybe it will help some of the young people on this board, as they go through life. Anyhoo...

Wuv, Yer Mom

[Violet]

Don't pick your face- I started getting pimples when I was around 11 or 12. I picked at them all the time, and now I have some pock marks. They'll go away, but.. if I had never picked at them back then, I wouldn't have pimples right now.

Less computer, more outdoors- Yeah, now half my body is pale cause I rarely get any sun. I spend most of my time inside, reading a book or playing a game. Only time I do get sun is past 3p.m, when the sun rays aren't that strong anymore.

Study!- There were so many times that I'd put off assignments/projects. I'd wait till it was the last day before the due date to finish it.. and my grade? Sometimes I actually got a B or an A.. but mostly, I got a C. So, yeah.. studying more or doing the project before hand would've been best.

Be more aggressive- I was a very passive person. Whenever someone picked on me, I'd let them do so until they left me alone. I was everyone's rag doll, I suppose. And it made me a very shy person for years after, resulting in me having very few friends. However, I did get more active in High School, and I am more sociable now.

Get a part-time Job- Like Hellfire, I also should've gotten myself a job. At the time, I wanted one, but my parents said I couldn't get one.. that I had to focus on school work. So now, I am without any experience at the age of 21 and I have been job hunting, but no prevail. Thankyou, economy..

[DragonHeart]

Go to college dammit!

Yeah...that's about all I got. XD Really it's the best damn advice anyone can give to a young person imo. I was just too stupid to listen and made up all kinds of excuses to avoid going. Now I'm stuck in a horrible dead-end job with few prospects to get myself out. All because I didn't want to take the 'hard' road. Turns out this one's booby trapped with quicksand.

That one piece of advice is of such great significance to me especially considering where I am right now that anything else I would have to say is ultimately unimportant. *shrugs*

~DragonHeart~

[Dodie16]

Let's see...10 years in the past I would have been 13, and a freshmen in high school. I guess if given the chance I would my young self these things:

Be more assertive- Like Violet, I was pretty much a pushover, too. I had really low self-esteem, so I thought it was easier to deal with if I just let people do whatever and not do anything about it. I'm still learning how to speak up for myself, but my first impulse when confronted is to cry. Yeah, I'm a crybaby.

Tell Robert that you like him- Probably the biggest crush I had ever had in my entire life. I found out later that he liked me, too, but he wasn't sure how to approach me, so he didn't tell me. I think he's married now, and I wish him a long and happy marriage.

Do more extracurricular activities- Looking back now, I wish I was a little more involved with the social aspect of school, and the clubs that my school had. I was too shy to do anything like that, so I stayed away. I focused on my studies, and I did well in school, but my college application would have looked 10 times better if I had done those extracurricular activities that my school offered. Scholarships would have been easier to get, too.

Hmm...that's all I can think of at the moment. I may come back and edit some more stuff in, because I'm sure there's a TON of stuff that I'm forgetting.

[Xanatos]

-Do hard things/finish what you start. The same goes for me Hellfire. I have started many things in my life that I never finished. Mainly because it was to difficult or because of my damn laziness and I regret now for not being more determined.

-Get a part time job. I had plenty opportunities and time to find a part time job bud sadly I didn't. Instead of doing something useful and got some more experience I have wasted my time doing nothing, but this mistake is not going to happen again.

-Don't be so stubborn. I'm very stubborn person and to many times I got in trouble because of it.

-Be more active, go train something. I'm also very lazy person and I heard many times that I need to be more active. My friends told me that I should train table-tennis because I was very talented but unfortunately I never did.

[Victoria]

10 years ago, I would have been 15. There's only two things that I would tell myself.

1. Get your license ASAP.
2. Tell your parents ASAP about your transgenderness so that way while you're under their insurance you can start treatment. >_>;

[Clint]

Don't join the army. Ten years ago, I would have told myself not to join the army... No, that couldn't have been ten years ago. Ten years ago I was ten. Unless if they were accepting incredibly young recruits in the army in 1999. Wait, that can't be right, either. I was never in the army. I guess I'm confusing myself for somebody else.

Learn how not to lift things like a complete retard. I'd probably tell myself to learn not to lift with my back so as to avoid the nerve damage that I have right now, which I need physical therapy to correct. If I had learned to lift with my legs instead of my back sooner, all of this could have been avoided.

Be born in January. Technically, I was born ten years ago at age ten, considering that 40 is the new 30, 30 is the new 20, and so on, which means that 10 is the new 0, so I was born 10 years ago. My only mistake was being born in July. July is hot, juicy, and humid. I'd much rather be born in January. Then I could have come out of the womb supporting a leather jacket and a beard.

Try a mango. I still haven't had one. How much of a dick does somebody have to be not to try a mango in a full twenty years? That's like slapping Rodney King across the face. It's the biggest insult to humanity.

[Ryu-Kentoshii Hirokima]

I Would've been 6 Years old Ten Years in the past. I was a happy Kid, So I don't really need to say anything to my Past Self...LOL

[Maridia]

I would tell myself to stick with guitar and not dwindle as much. Granted I went to bass for a bit and just played both casually but if I stuck with guitar more I'd probably have more of a leg up. Not that I'm bad but hey it couldn't hurt.

Learn to believe in myself more. I've let alot of peoples opinions sway me when I thought there was something wrong and it ended up being a big to-do. If I may have rocked the boat more or was straight up confidence would have grown quicker which could have boosted several things.

I could also mention to myself events that would come up to try and prevent such as divorce or death. But it seemed to just want tips, not facts from the present.

[Furore]

I'd possibly tell past me how to more effectively cripple an opponent.
Seriously, if I'd known the shit I know now back then I would have been ****ed up a lot less.

I'd definetely give myself some winning lotto ticket numbers or something similar too.

[Sinister]

Get out more often

Stay away from women called Olivia

Invent a time travel machine and become rich...but then, I must've done that already in order to have a conversation with myself from 10 years in the future.

Invest in Petroleum Futures



-Sin

[Govinda]

Give advice to the ten year old me? Well then, baby me. You look like a barrel at the moment, but I promise you'll get a figure in a few years. Yes, mum is lying to you when she says you don't look like a walking molecule composed of parts apparently chosen at random. There's a bitch called Angela who will always be a bitch, remember that, but keep her around for lols. You might like that Evan boy in a couple of years but DO NOTHING because leaving it for years actually made it turn out a lot better (guess what, I live with him). Be nice to your brother. I know mum's pretty sick and dad's being a royal ****, but it all turns out great in the end for both of them. Well, not really, but mum at least.

You know, I can't think of anything I'd want done differently in my life at all. I want it all to stay the same, and work out as it has now. I guess I'm just lucky.

[Aerif]

At seven I'd probably not really know much about listening to advice from my future self. Although having a chance to warn myself about certain things would be a blessing.

• DO NOT choose to do Higher Physics in S5, choose Admin instead, you'll get at least a B.
• STUDY, STUDY, STUDY in fifth year, also study in fourth year for Chemistry. If you did that you could be a doctor (also do not develop a phobia for blood - then a doctor would be even more realistic).
• Convince father to invest in Google. It will pay off.
• Try to be more confident. If you don't you'll probably have a hard time talking to new people and on the phone.
• GET A JOB ASAP. There is a recession coming in 10 years! Meaning no jobs will exist.

[Meier Link]

Lets see:

Watch out for the dirty legged women, this wouldn't of been benificial at the time but it would of aided in some poor choices later on down the line and avoided alot of crazy trouble.

Never trust a stripper, this kind of runs hand and hand with my first one but not really seeing I am speaking of 2 totally different times in my life, even though they kind of overlap.

Beer = good, cigs = bad, would of convinced myself not to let my exwife hand cigerettes over to me when I was drunk. This could of changed my most addicted side of me.

Well that is it for now I will come back in here and add some more later on down the line.

[Ryu-Kentoshii Hirokima]

I will think about what I might've wanted to say to myself back then that would've helped me in the future...But for now I'm good

[Freya]

There isn't much that I'd like to change in my life, but there were a few things about... 8 years ago that I'd change if I had the chance to.

That would be:

Don't ever change your school. DON'T!!! T_T"""
This was by far the biggest mistake I made. I changed school and then had to get to the point I am now on a long, long road. It would have been totally easy if I hadn't changed schools... :/

There is nothing more, I have to admit. I'm quite happy with what happened in the last ten years. All the small things that went wrong.. who cares about them anyways? I don't. ^^

[Kilala]

Maybe not advice for the 9 year old me.. but certainly as follows:

Don't worry so much - If you spend all your time worrying you will only regret it. Life is short and you have to take advantage of it. Not worry about the consequences.

Have more confidence - I really need to believe in myself more. Past self and present.

DO NOT CUT YOUR HAIR - Yes I did, and I regretted it.

Take more pictures - There's a period of my life where there is no photo record. Kind of sad...

Don't leave your homework to the last minute - because that never works out now, does it?

[Lunasa]

Ten years ago, I was nine...

-Don't let the bullies get to you.

-Join Little League Softball.

-Get the Romance Bug earlier. This way you know how to act around the opposite sex or detect drama related to it.

-Join Middle school track. Do Srinting/Jumping and not racewalking.

[Calvan]

One thing, You mothers advice is never correct.

That and Myspace is not a viable alternative to a real social life.

[shinra_32]

Ten years ago I was 19.
So I would tell myself mud wrestling is not the best form of income.

Beating up sorority girls mud wrestling and taking their $500 a month isn't worth running into them at a future job as your boss. (no matter how much fun it was at the time)

Also I would tell myself wrapping ones whole self in duct tape isn't a smart thing to do when you know a fire drill is coming up. (worst night in college)

[Angantyr]

Study, that's all you need to worry about till you get a well paying job.

If you get friends don't shut them out like you always do, yeah I still do this and I never learn.

[Cyric]

Don't put your penis in there.

[Darkdragoon]

dont let your dad pee on the nintendo. hide it in your shoe box ^^

[OceanEyes28]

Ten years ago is a little bit much for me. That would put me at eleven, and there's not much to say to eleven year old me. Keep some pads around, you'll be starting your period in a year?

Six or seven years would be a better interval. That would put me at fourteen or fifteen. In which case:

You have a beautiful body and no one inspects it as meticulously (or maliciously) as you do. Don't worry so much. I wish I had realized this at those ages. It would have saved me a lot of stress and I'd be in a great place by now. I'm only just now getting past teenaged insecurity about my physical appearance and it frustrates me that I still occasionally fret about it.

You are an excellent young woman with a lot to offer. Don't worry about hiding any of that so that boys your age won't be intimidated by you. The only men who will be worth your time are the ones who are secure enough not to be intimidated. And you'll find them. I know that might sound a little vain, in a way, but seriously... I was not considered desirable or approachable by most guys my age. And while I had a lot of integrity about being who I was, there were times when I'd wish things were different somehow. I guess I just wanted some kind of male validation, I can admit that now. But I've since realized that anyone who needs his girlfriend to be a little (or a lot) less capable than he is so that he can maintain some sort of perceived superiority is not someone I'd be interested in anyway.

Keep doing what you're doing. It works out for me/you/us. This one for sure. Any other advice I gave was to get myself a few steps ahead of the game, not to change anything.

[linkfan57x]

Finish every video game you start without leaving it for another. (unless its a crappy game)

[V_Translanka]

None. If I didn't listen to myself then, why would I listen to myself now then? Er...I'm not sure how to word that...Why would I listen to my now self then? Advice wouldn't change things. Violence, now...

[Rocky]

I don't really know what kind of advice I would say to a ten year old version of myself, but I'd have to write it down and lamenate the paper for future reference, but the two things that I would for sure write down are: learn how to learn when you get into highschool, it's important stuff, and don't be so shy, get out of your comfort zone and talk to people. I guess with that second one I'd also add in not to be afraid of saying something dumb/stupid, because it happens to everyone and it's something to learn from. Otherwise, I haven't really done anything stupid, like became a meth addict or gotten pregnant so I think I'm doing something right so far.

[Che]

I would tell myself "Good Job!" and that I'd understand what I meant in 10 years.

[Musashiden]

One thing, and one thing only:

"Smoke pot sooner. Really. It's great." It is. It chilled me out when I was my angriest.

[Bleachfangirl]

I would have been five, and there's lots of random things I could tell myself at that age. Fun, fun, fun.

Do NOT confess to that boy you're going to like in the first grade on his home answering machine. His mother will find out, and you'll never be allowed to talk to him again. She'll literally ask the teacher to move him to the other side of room and you won't have any friends for the rest of the school year and summer. Do not do it.

Don't play tag with your eyes closed. You'll get a big bump on your forehead that'll keep the class from playing tag for a month. They'll be mad too. >.>

When you get to second and third grade, don't talk back to the teachers. You'll get sent to the office enough times if you do, and have notes to take home to your mother, who would then lecture you for ages. Just take the recess detentions, because those are better than that.

Stop wearing shorts. It's during those young years that you'll fall down and scrape yourself the most, so just stick to pants and jeans. They'll at least keep you from getting all those knee scars you'll have when you're older.

And pick up an instrument! You're a lazy kid with lots of time on your hands, so go learn how to play to piano or violin, and stick to it. You'll hate yourself when you're older and can't do anything even though you love music. Read some more too. You're kind of stupid.