When you were a teenager, the absolute last thing you wanted was unsolicited advice from an adult. It was always condescending, cliché, and—let’s face it—probably right. Of course, those of us who are now old AF know that giving advice to younger people is our duty because we had to go through that sh–t when we were teens and those are the rules.
Redditor u/notViperX asked the adults of Reddit: What is something every Teenager needs to know?
Here’s a list of 30 responses that are not only good advice for teens but generally great tips for everyone.
1.
“It’s ok to say no to anyone. Don’t let anyone in your life guilt trip you into doing something you don’t want to do or are uncomfortable with.” –Purpleraven01
2.
“It’s exactly as lame to not do something you want to do because it’s too mainstream or popular as it is to do something only because it’s cool and the cool kids are doing it.” –itsacalamity
3.
“The measure of whether someone has the potential to be a new friend of yours is NOT whether they like a bunch of things you like. It is entirely possible to become friends with people who like a ton of things you’ve never heard of, or even already decided you dislike. You are at a spot in life where a lot of your likes and dislikes are subject to change anyway. Biggest thing: making a new friend often takes time. Lots of time.” –helicopterpurple
4.
“Cashiers don’t care if you buy condoms.” –induceddaftfan
5.
“Failing is okay.” –2Graves1Ashe
6.
“Learn a second language. It’s good for your brain, and it’s a lot easier when you’re young. Get active and fit; make it a habit. This is one of the most important ways to stave off cognitive decline as you get older. Plus, it’s great for managing mental health during the transition to adulthood.” –HappyHappyKidney
7.
“Start trying to save money now. You will definitely thank yourself later on.” –Lastnight97
8.
“Get a marketable skill, unskilled labor sucks. You need something that’s going to pay you, it doesn’t have to be your life’s passion, contrary to what my peers were saying at that age, but you do need to be able to tolerate it.” –sweetperdition
9.
“If you don’t have a passion, learn new skills. You might find your passion or something you’re good at.” –checkmatelocked
10.
“Don’t put off dealing with mental health issues. Developing unhealthy coping mechanisms for emotional issues will fuck you up big time down the road. If you have issues, deal with it head on, right away. It can take time, but start the work now.” –EmbarrassedCalendar1
