What advice would you give your 19 year old self?

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Im 19 years old and pretty much just thinking about the future and where I will end up in my career. I was wondering, what would YOU tell your 19 year old self back then? or if so, now? or later on?

Specializes in Addictions Nursing, LTC.

When your parents tell you they can't afford to send you to college, don't be a brat. Get out there and do it yourself.

Don't stay with an abusive man, and if you do, when you finally get out after 7 years, don't do it again for another 7 with someone worse! And remember that even if they don't actively abuse your children, they are still being hurt.

Don't let said men convince you that you are so stupid and worthless that you could never achieve your goal of being a nurse or anything else you want to do in life.

One day you will find a wonderful man who will put up with your trust issues and insecurities, and he will support your desire to start LPN school at the age of 37. And he'll even be ok with going through it all again when you go back to school at 41 to get your RN. Appreciate him. He really is one of the good ones.

Get your BSN. Don't let others discourage further education.

Specializes in CMSRN, hospice.

Advice for my 19 year old self:

Learn to like foods that don't come out of a paper bag. Cooking healthy stuff *will* be necessary if you want to keep dat body and dat wallet in good shape.

Dump that guy. Seriously, dump him. He leads you to a big fat pile of nowhere and nothing.

On a related note, learn to love being by yourself. You're an introvert, it's okay to settle in for a night to yourself and not feel guilty.

Be a little sassy, take care of you, and stand up for yourself. Being a martyr for no reason isn't cute.

Work harder at math and science, and maybe take a year off from school to work and get to know you. It's hard to figure out what you'll be good and what careers you'll like if you don't try a couple things first. (But, make sure you go back to school eventually.)

Learn to budget.

Practice music at a young age, it brings you a lot of joy and really helps you relax and process everything from work to family to heartbreak.

Be patient. Your life ends up being pretty rad, you just have to wait for it!

Advice for my self of this morning:

That bottle of Nair? DON'T USE IT! You will trade a tiny not even noticeable mustache for a huge burning patch of red angry skin that will not look normal for days. Have fun explaining that to your boo thang when he comes over later...

DO WHATEVER THE F*** YOU WANT! But NEVER EVER give up on school, or lose your focus off school.

Specializes in ER, Med-surg.

I would tell my 19-year-old self: Don't worry about this boy, or the one after that, or the one after that. Don't worry so much about boys in general.

Relationships that feel like exhausting work 99% of the time and a thrillride the remaining 1% are never going to get better.

Finish college sooner. Don't make career decisions based on other people.

Analyze your desire to become a nurse. Emotionally, mentally, and soulfully.

It takes all you will have to give. Are you up for that?

#noragrets ...not even a single letter

Specializes in UR/PA, Hematology/Oncology, Med Surg, Psych.

I would go back for a do-over, but only if my kids would still be my kids.

19 year old self: Start focusing and stay in school, but change your major to Psychology. Plan on going straight through till your PhD is done. Enjoy college more and build closer relationships with other women. Drop C right away; he is a liar and a cheater. Date only casually now. Make it all about building your life and being you. Try to avoid the student loan route as much as you can. Go ahead and meet K and S; have your babies with them and then send the men packing. Work at having them in the children's life, but they aren't the mate for you. You'll have a couple of years that will be very hard to finish school and work to raise a family, but trust me, you have it in you. Your education will be all completed by the time your 27 or so and you'll find then a lot more time to spend with the kids and to travel. Especially as it will be all on your own terms!

There's no need to grow up so quickly. God doesn't want to confine you, he wants you to prosper. Focus on school, work and God, and improving relations with your own family and your own life before giving life to someone else. TRAVEL!!!!! Be involved on campus. Choose faith over fear, no matter what.

Specializes in ER.

Honestly, there's not a lot I would tell my 19 year old self. Except quit smoking, by 19 I had mostly gotten my act together.

Telling my 16 or 17 year old self would do so much more.

-End it with B, you'll both be much happier

-Don't skip class for S it'll destroy your college GPA

-If you do #2 you won't meet your wife R though

-Go to college with a plan, instead of just jumping on something you think you'll be good at and can make money doing

-Watch out for that stopped car on the way home from school

-Your choices of recreation don't make you cool, they're stupid & within a couple years of graduating a few of your classmates will be dead from it

Specializes in Critical care.

1. Don't believe her when she says she'll never cheat again.

2. Don't take her back after you have broken up, just because she is pregnant.

3. Take a GS position as an RN with the government, and retire with a 20 year pension at 39.

4. Put 10% of your check into retirement accounts starting today.

5. Stay away from Aspartame it kills brain cells.

Cheers

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I would tell my 19 year old self just a couple things:

Don't care what others think or say about me. Let it roll off my back. What they think is none of my business.

Cut the drama, ALL DRAMA. Life is too short.

In the end, every-little-thing will be ok. If it's NOT ok, that's cause it's not the END.

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