What's the one piece of advice you'd offer to yourself, 2.5 - 5 years ago?

[brenden]

DISCUSSION:

If you could give advice to 5-years-ago-you (or you 2.5 years ago for the youngins), what would you say?

Let's learn from each other. I'd love to pick your brains

[Wales]

DISCUSSION:

If you could give advice to 5-years-ago-you, what would you say?

Sign up to ATAR notes

Hmm. Maybe also to discover photography or another hobby and invest more time into that. Finding a loveable hobby in year 12 sucks because you don't have as much time to do it

[Joseph41]

DISCUSSION:

If you could give advice to 5-years-ago-you, what would you say?

Hmm. Five years ago. 2012, so Year 12 for me. A few months before exams.

Probably something along the following lines:

- Exams seem really important. Of course they're important to a degree - it's the end of 13 years of school, after all. But they're not the be all and end all, and it's important not to neglect other elements of your life.
- If you're struggling, seek help.
- Get a proper job, you lazy fucker. Not for the money, but for the development as a person.

[brenden]

For me...

Current age: 22 years old

This time 5 years ago I was: 17 years old, in Year 12, frantically studying for my Psychology mid-year exam, back before VCAA took them away. I'd made my first post on ATAR Notes just 5 days ago! Determined to do well in Year 12, but struggling to keep my shit together under the pressure, and starting to see my friends less after I quit a mutual hobby (mixed netball) halfway through Year 12.

Advice I would give myself: I would probably tell myself that it's okay to live in the moment. It's okay to just relax, take a breath, and accept yourself for who you are in this moment, rather than rush towards some random concept or Idea of who you're supposed to be. I'd say, use technology less, be "present" in your friendships and relationship, and work hard but peacefully towards being your best, and not the best.

- Get a proper job, you lazy fucker. Not for the money, but for the development as a person.

Why didn't you get a job then? What do you think would have changed?

[Joseph41]

Why didn't you get a job then? What do you think would have changed?

Tutored from 2009 onward, and that did me fine. Got a job at the end of Year 12, but wanted to focus on studies before then.

I don't regret not working in 2012, but in hindsight it would have been good for me to work (not tutoring) from 2009-2011. With the whole anxiety thing, I think it would have pushed me out of my comfort zone and sort of forced me into more interaction. Would it have changed anything? No idea - but if nothing else, I'd have more money now lol.

[Calebark]

Five years ago, I was fourteen, enrolled in Year 8 at a different school, but with attendance below 15% due to family issues.

I would have told myself:
-Be independent; get a job the day you turn 15, contact Centrelink, move out of home.

It would have made things infinitely easier. I'd also like to tell myself to start taking school seriously, but I figured that out eventually.

[sudodds]

DISCUSSION:

If you could give advice to 5-years-ago-you, what would you say?

Let's learn from each other. I'd love to pick your brains

dogs aren't scary

EDIT: wait i thought this said when I WAS 5. I was not still scared of dogs at 13.

[K888]

Wow, this is a good idea. Nice, brenden, really nice.
I think there's potentially more stuff I'd say to me 2-3 years ago, but we'll give 5 years a shot.

5 years ago, so that's 2012, would take me back to year 8. I think there are so many things I could say to 14 year old me.
- Cherish the time you have with family, strengthen the relationships you have with them even more, because you don't know when someone will be gone

- Go do some serious injury prevention screening, and ease back the stress you place on your body through intense sport. It will save you a lot of pain, time, money, effort and emotional stress in the future

- Open your mind to the world

- Try your best to mend cracks or breaks in relationships and friendships, because you will reach a stage where you can't go back and fix something, and you'll probably regret it a lot years down the track when you reflect and realise that you could have handled things soooo much better

[Joseph41]

Wow, this is a good idea. Nice, brenden, really nice.
I think there's potentially more stuff I'd say to me 2-3 years ago, but we'll give 5 years a shot.

5 years ago, so that's 2012, would take me back to year 8. I think there are so many things I could say to 14 year old me.
- Cherish the time you have with family, strengthen the relationships you have with them even more, because you don't know when someone will be gone

- Go do some serious injury prevention screening, and ease back the stress you place on your body through intense sport. It will save you a lot of pain, time, money, effort and emotional stress in the future

- Open your mind to the world

- Try your best to mend cracks or breaks in relationships and friendships, because you will reach a stage where you can't go back and fix something, and you'll probably regret it a lot years down the track when you reflect and realise that you could have handled things soooo much better

How would things change if it were 2-3 years ago instead?

[K888]

How would things change if it were 2-3 years ago instead?

Ahh, more of the same stuff, but I think a bit more detailed and expanded because I was obviously older and more mature 2-3 years ago than compared to 5 years ago.
Family, health, school, that sort of thing. Probably don't need to get too detailed on the forum
I think definitely though, I could have saved myself a lot of regret and troubles with some intervention from future me a few years back.

[spectroscopy]

 5 years ago is 2012 = year 10

advice i'd give myself: "just keep doing your thing and remember in mid 2015 to bet a thousand dollars on leicester to win the 2015/2016 english premier league"

[brenden]

Five years ago, I was fourteen, enrolled in Year 8 at a different school, but with attendance below 15% due to family issues.

I would have told myself:
-Be independent; get a job the day you turn 15, contact Centrelink, move out of home.

It would have made things infinitely easier. I'd also like to tell myself to start taking school seriously, but I figured that out eventually.

Are you working an independent now?

- Try your best to mend cracks or breaks in relationships and friendships, because you will reach a stage where you can't go back and fix something, and you'll probably regret it a lot years down the track when you reflect and realise that you could have handled things soooo much better

Do you have regrets, here?

[sweetiepi]

What I would tell my year 8 self (5 years ago): Don't be so shy!

Someone still tells me that to this day (::

[S200]

My advice??

"Let this goal through and you won't be stuck in goals every soccer game for the next 5 years... "
or maybe I'd just say
"Do your ******* homework and stop playing computer games!!"

[brenden]

My advice??

"Let this goal through and you won't be stuck in goals every soccer game for the next 5 years... "

Hahahahahahaha, This is the best piece of advice I've ever seen.