When you were 17...

13

Replies

  • he doesn't love you and its ok to experiment
  • mikeyrp
    mikeyrp Posts: 1,616 Member
    Stop worrying, enjoy the ride - It'll work out fine.
    (I was stressed about work and exams and often forgot to have fun along side the hard work)

    However much you love someone, you are not responsible for them... People need to own their issues - you can only offer so much support.
  • lizdavis07
    lizdavis07 Posts: 766 Member
    i would tell my 17 year old self:

    -Stop cutting yourself...there's healthier ways to relieve emotional pain and stress
    -Stop sneaking out your parents house and partying on school night...you'll eventually get caught
    -Stop smoking...you're not addicted yet, so quit while you're ahead
    -Don't cut class. its not worth it. (i always got caught and had lunch detention every other day, plus i had to take my hardest classes my senior year bc i slacked off and failed alot)
    -Listen to your mom...no matter how stupid you think she is, she's almost always right :-)
  • Never ever ever ever EVER get even ONE credit card! NONE! They're awful things that will cause nothing but stress later in life!

    Afterthought, also, smoking BAD!!!
  • Jconner30
    Jconner30 Posts: 311
    Get with a financial advisor! Put money back for your future! Before long (and believe me) you will be in your 40's and say... Man, I wish I had planned for my future...
  • duck faces in the mirror are not cute
  • shelld70
    shelld70 Posts: 106
    You are not fat, AT ALL!
  • Mkleder
    Mkleder Posts: 289
    -- When you walk up to your long time crush after graduation and plant a kiss on him, don't run off embarrassed afterwards, hang around long enough to chat and give him your phone number. He likes you too.

    -- When you join the military and get frustrated with your lack of career advancement, chill out and stick it out. Four years is NOT "forever."

    -- Seriously, the Bay City Rollers really are the worst band in the history of civilization. Stop sewing plaid on all of your jeans.

    -- Your dad is a self-centered *kitten*. Just because he calls you "Lard bucket" doesn't mean anything. Rebel for once and tune him out.
  • La_Amazona
    La_Amazona Posts: 4,855 Member
    Don't be so insecure. Rely on yourself. Trust yourself. Don't be so closed and mean. People do really like you. Let them get close to you. Don't be so guarded.

    I treated all my ex bf's like crap. I was a mean psycho gf. I didn't know how to love. It's sad and wish I could take all of it back. I wish I would had listened to wise older people.
  • lizlee8
    lizlee8 Posts: 92 Member
    Glad you started WW, anything more than 232 would've been much harder to loose. :drinker: x
  • ilookthetype
    ilookthetype Posts: 3,021 Member
    i would tell my 17 year old self:

    -Stop cutting yourself...there's healthier ways to relieve emotional pain and stress
    -Stop sneaking out your parents house and partying on school night...you'll eventually get caught
    -Stop smoking...you're not addicted yet, so quit while you're ahead
    -Don't cut class. its not worth it. (i always got caught and had lunch detention every other day, plus i had to take my hardest classes my senior year bc i slacked off and failed alot)
    -Listen to your mom...no matter how stupid you think she is, she's almost always right :-)


    Wow, Ditto on all of this. Especially the mom bit, the cutting, partying, smoking, and school stuff all would have cleared up faster had I LISTENED to my mom.
  • Being an adult is just playing dress-up and paying bills. Enjoy this time and BE CONFIDENT!
  • JeremiahStone
    JeremiahStone Posts: 682 Member
    Try to start keeping good habits, trust me they will stick with you for the rest of your life. Watch our language and thoughts, it's alot easier to keep a clean mouth when your minds clean. Don't freak out to much about weight, as you get older that weight will melt off. Just workout and eat alot of healthy food. Make good friends. They last a lifetime. Be careful who you hang out with, they male a huge impact on your life whether you want them to or not. Be careful in dating. There's alot of people out there who just want the fun of it, and in the end when they get bored, leave you like a pile of junk and never come back. Value love. Love is the most important emotion, the most important feeling ever. You can't put a price on real love. Love your family and friends. These are the people who mean so much. They'll always be there for you. Focus and do well in school. Pick up some good extra curricular activities. And last but not least, stay close to God. Because in the end when no one else is there, He will be. He's the only one that loves you enough to send His Son to die for you. And He will help you go thru life just like He's helping so many others.
    Stay strong, keep fighting! :D
  • laurad1406
    laurad1406 Posts: 341
    Don't ever start smoking (although the satisfaction of quitting did feel great)
    Being the drunkest girl at the party isn't cool
    Not remembering the night before isn't cool
    Doing well in school IS really cool, and you'll be SO happy you did down the road. Even if you get made fun of for not going out on "thirsty thursday" to study for a test or finish your research paper early.
    That time Mom and Dad told you you weren't allowed to visit your friend's older brother and stay in his frat house for the weekend and you went anyway...they knew. And they were right. (When I was in college I would see friends 16 year old siblings (not when we were 18 year old freshman, I'm talking 21 year old seniors) and think "Your parents actually let you come up here and party?!")
    That boy you think you're going to marry?? Yea, probably not gonna happen, and believe it or not, you'll end up feeling sorry for the girl who does.
    Mom and Dad knew what they were doing when they made you get a job as soon as it was legal and pay for your first car yourself. (My roommate in college told me if anything were to happen to her parents, she literally didn't know how she would survive. Not in a devastated kind of way (although that too), in a I don't know how i'd pay for anything or know how to do anything kind of way)
    When Mom is cooking Thanksgiving dinner for 10 and asks you to please run to the store to get more rolls and a stick of butter, DON'T roll your eyes and sigh about what a pain that is.
    Don't step OVER the pillow on the floor 15 times, pick it up and put it back on the couch.
    Come to terms now with the fact that you and some of your friends are going to grow apart. And that's ok.
  • angela828
    angela828 Posts: 498 Member
    Don't hook up with him... or him... or him.

    Don't worry about staying friends with that group... they aren't going to be your friends in 3 years anyway.

    Stop being such a ***** to your parents.. just be quiet and walk away when they bug you...by the time you hit age 18, they'll stop bugging you so much.

    Start watching what you eat and WORK OUT!!!
  • koosdel
    koosdel Posts: 3,317 Member
    Don't spend money on stupid stuff.
  • lsd007
    lsd007 Posts: 435
    Don't change your major three times. You'll be in school forever.
  • Heather75
    Heather75 Posts: 3,386 Member
    Travel NOW.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    Having children will wreck your figure!

    Drinking yourself into a stupor isn't clever, and you will do things you regret forever.

    Looks aren't everything, and they don't last.

    Get on and do stuff, now. You feel young, but before you know it, you'll be in your late 20s and the opportunities that seemed limitless are rapidly dwindling. I am 34 now and 17 seems like 5 minutes ago. I still dream I am back at school all the time.

    You won't wake up one day and be an adult. How you feel now, that's as grown up as you will ever feel. You just get older. We all still feel 17 inside.
  • AI1108
    AI1108 Posts: 488 Member
    Life's been fun since high school but a few things I would have told my 17 year old self..

    - Start taking care of your health. Your metabolism will slow down. Start getting into the habit of working out... oh and cookies, ice cream, cake and beer are not a food group. You can enjoy them in moderation. I miss my hs body :(
    - Don't let people's words get you down about yourself. If it's not constructive, don't think twice about it.
    - If you have to think twice about a guy, he wasn't the one.
    - Start saving... like now.. you'll appreciate it down the road.
    - Go to class, do your hw, and stop slacking .. it'll pay off. I know you don't really want to & it may not seem cool now but when you're older being intelligent, successful & independent is cool ...& a lot more fun :)
    - Appreciate yourself and be confident, & everyone will follow.
    - Appreciate the important people in your life.. especially your fam. (And show them you appreciate them.) They're the ones you're going to fall back on, but also don't listen to their every word. They can hurt & their advice ISN'T ALWAYS top notch even though you want to believe so.
    - All your catty high school girl friends... yeah you're going to have a much more exciting life then them so think twice about listening to the gossip, rumors & "advice."
    - Take on every opportunity headfirst.
    - Don't let someone be your priority when you're really just their convenience.
    - Oh and the trouble you got into for the house parties .. it'll be blow over. lol

    Most importantly...
    - Let go every once in a while... life is too short to take seriously!
  • TS65
    TS65 Posts: 1,024 Member
    Figure out a way to get through school without student loans. It'll be a monkey on your back for most of the rest of your life.
  • sillygoose1977
    sillygoose1977 Posts: 2,151 Member
    I know you think you're in love, but you aren't. He is a loser
    Go to college
    Be nicer to your parents, they really love you and want to see you have a happy life.
    Quit smoking NOW.

    Oh and enjoy the fact that you can eat anything you want and be skinny because the second you turn 31 all hell breaks loose.
  • otr12
    otr12 Posts: 632 Member
    Everytime you try to dye your hair blue it's going to come out green.

    Nine Inch Nails is never going to put out an album as good as Pretty Hate Machine.

    The WRX will come to America in 9 years and you're gonna want one, BAD! So start saving now so you can buy one with cash.

    I know you love your tapes but the sooner you switch to CD's the happier you'll be. You wont be able to rip off BMG and Columbia House forever.

    You best friend is treating your boyfriend like **** because she's in love with him and she jealous.

    Let your dad teach you how to work on cars. He's going to die soon and you'll regret that you didn't learn that skill when you had the chance.
  • jessradtke
    jessradtke Posts: 418 Member
    I would tell my 17 year old self:

    Don't be so freaking serious! Have some fun for goodness sake! There will be much more serious things to come.

    And don't wait to do the things you really want to do. Do them now! You may not have the chance later on.

    Don't be in a hurry to get to adulthood, it will come all to quickly on it's own.

    You will never figure what you want to be when you grow up because you will never, ever feel like you're a "grown up". (Like fteale said, our bodies will age, but we will always feel 17 inside. It's a weird feeling and rather jarring when you look in the mirror.)

    Enjoy each and every moment with the people you love because as you get older the years go by SO much faster and at the end you'll still wish you had more time with them.

    Follow your instincts...they're spot on.
  • jessradtke
    jessradtke Posts: 418 Member
    One more thing...never have regrets about ANYTHING. It's a waste of your time and energy. Learn from the experience and move on.
  • SarahR1984
    SarahR1984 Posts: 212
    Stop trying to fit in and impress people
    Wear sunscreen always! take care of your skin, you'll wish you had when those wrinkles start showing up!
    Don't drink excessively, you will do things you regret...
    Remember what's important in life and don't get caught up in materialistic stuff
    Stick to your principles :) no matter what.
  • haylz24
    haylz24 Posts: 225
    Oh and not be afraid to stick up to your dads wife. Report her to social services.

    Go to otley college no matter your Grandad says and get the job you've always wanted.
  • I would say to stay away from the drama. Its really not worth it.
    Don't spend all your money. Learn to save money, even if its just a little at a time and dont touch it unless its an emergency!
    Learn to love yourself and your body, and take care of it.
    Don't drink so much, its not worth the hangover!
  • courtneylwatson
    courtneylwatson Posts: 260 Member
    Use Protection... EVERY TIME!

    When you rebel against your parents now you are just rebelling against your future self, if the risks out weigh the benefits do not do it!
  • mommared53
    mommared53 Posts: 9,543 Member
    Never ever ever ever EVER get even ONE credit card! NONE! They're awful things that will cause nothing but stress later in life!

    Definitely this!

    Also when you and Dad are alone in that hospital room witness to him! (Ok, I know you're not going to understand this right now, but just remember it and when you're in your 20's it'll make sense. :smile: ) It'll be the last chance you have. :cry: He's not going to live forever! :sad:

    Also, don't move to Washington State just because George broke up with you. You will get back together with him and short distance relationships are better than long distance relationships. Also propose to him before it's too late even though you know he will say no. He's not going to live forever! I know you'll be in your 40's in these two cases but trust me on this.
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