Being a teenager naturally comes with quite a few challenges. For instance, one of the most prominent 20th-century psychologists Erik Erikson considered the teenage years to be a major stage of a person's development where one has to learn to be independent, search for a sense of self and personal identity while actively exploring their values and beliefs. In other words, a lot of things are happening all at once.
Inevitably, in the midst of these wild explorations, we're simply bound to make at least a few stupid decisions that we're gonna regret (or kind of regret) later in life. You know, once we're all grown up and much smarter than we were back then, right? I'm sure that every single one of us could come up with at least one thing we've done or didn't do back when we were teens that we'd sure be glad to change.
Recently, 31k Reddit users delved into the topic of going back in time and doing things differently after a member named u/TheIconicNZ shared a question that read "Your consciousness is sent back to when you were at age 15, and you maintain all of your current knowledge and experience. What do you do?" Bored Panda has compiled a list of some of the best answers found in this viral thread with over 77k upvotes, so here you go!
More info: Reddit
#21
I’d want to tweak a few things. Hit the pricks who messed with me. Kiss the girl when I should’ve. Spent more time with my old man. Little things
36points
#22
I wouldn't go to University, possibly travel more and spend a bit more time deciding the direction I want to go with my life.
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31points
#23
Go straight to my room, blast Powerman 5000 from my humongous CD player, and bury my head in my pillow while I cry. High school was a living hell for me and living with my stepmom was a living hell but after I came to terms with my situation, I’d find my dad (who died last year), hug him tight then go and do the same with my grandparents.
Then after that I might cut down a bully or three. I’ve gotten surprisingly good at insults and standing up for myself in my old age.
Oh! And have a DQ blizzard. I wasn’t lactose intolerant at 15 and holy sh*t do I miss blizzards.
30points
#24
Get some bitcoin, put a lot of effort into regularly working out, learn professional cooking skills so I can whip up fancy food for myself
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29points
#25
Focus on high school a bit better, try and keep in touch with my best friend at that time a bit better after she moved across town, talk with my dad more about family and stuff, apologize for being a little sh*t in middle school more. Figure out my major a lot faster.
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28points
#26
First I'd break up with my girlfriend at the time.
1. It wasn't a good relationship, both of us did some fu**ed up s**t that only inexperienced people would
2. I would be 25 in mind and she'd be 15
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26points
#27
Oh man, I have an whole plan for such things.
Background, I've been disabled since I was 4. T1 diabetes and being on the spectrum sucked combined with back then (90s) learning disabilities not being as "accepted" at my schools so they tried to forcibly correct me and it went horribly wrong.
So, thing the first: High school. I wouldn't let it stress me out and push me to the breaking point like it did. I almost died in HS because things got so bad with my T1 diabetes and it spiraled so far out of control that it almost took me out. No. We're not fu*king doing that s**t. The walk for the diploma isn't worth it. If I fail, I fail, we make this up in community college. FU*K high school.
Thing the second: Fight harder to get your disability benefits. My mom had representative payee status over me and it kinda fu*ked everything up, so I had to go to work for a retail job that didn't give a singular fu*k that I was diabetic. I ran my sorry ass into the ground so hard that I'm still cleaning up the mess almost 10 years after I got fired. If anything, THIS is what utterly fu*ked me and THIS is the thing I would change the most.
(I finally got my benefits...way too late into that job. And by the end of it I was making so little at that job that I was 90% living on disability anyway. I should have quit and salvaged what I could. But I am dumb.)
Thing the third: Fu*k the job once disability is done, go the fu*k to college. Community college would have been easily affordable and where I live there are plenty of grants and waivers. I should have taken advantage of them. Again, I am an idiot.
Fourth, and definitely not least: SEE A FU*KING DENTIST. That's another thing older me had to clean up and it wasn't pretty. I'm in a good place now (bless my SO for helping cover the dental bills because disability sure fu*king didn't) but man, I could have saved myself a TON of hurt down the line if I wasn't so scared of the dentist.
I post this in hopes that maybe someone is currently in my situation, reads this, and knows to get the fu*k out or advocate for oneself before things get so bad that older you is going to have a right mess on their hands to clean up. It's not fun.
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23points
#28
Save more money. Take better care of my teeth. Not eat as much junk. Not date people who were just a waste of time. Not worry as much. Appreciate the irreplaceable things more. Not say some mean/wrong things I said. Choose a different career path.
19points
#29
Move out as soon I become 16. My parents were very toxic and harmful for my mental health.
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18points
#30
Try to convince my dad to short airline stocks in about a year. Gamble a lot on sports.
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16points
