I wish I'd known...

In college, I'd wish I had known how rare and special it is to be living in the same area as all of your best friends, having very little responsibility, and a plethora of free time. Literally being able to hang, party, and just make countless memories for 4 or 5 years.. and after that time is up you realize how truly great you had it. Not saying I didn't make the best of those days cuz Lord knows I did, but I think everyone appreciates them a little more once they're gone. As with most good things in life I spose. :rolleyes:
 
I wish I would have known that Middle School grades didn't mean **** towards our college acceptance. Even though every single teacher said it would follow you until college. Just a buncha bold faced liars.







#semijimlad
 
Recently, I wished I wouldn't have let myself get sucked into reading things in the cave specifically when it comes to politics. Would save myself a lot of cringe faces from the things people bicker back and forth about.
 

This thread immediately make me think of the sunscreen song by Baz Luhrmann. Lots of interesting things in that song that still make me think every time I listen to it.
 
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What my friend and I were talking about specifically was this: People ask the wrong question when choosing what to study or go into for a career.

People generally ask: What do I want to do?
What we both wished people had asked us: How do you want to live? Followed by: What path will allow you to live that way?

Can't agree. I have the career I always wanted by asking your former question. Also, your questions don't seem mutually exclusive...is it a money thing?
 
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Everything or nothing. I'm not sure. Lots of experiences I'd like to have knowledge of back then but I would not be the person I am today.

Don't be afraid to look like an idiot, its not that bad.
 
Appreciate your parents while they're still around (and grandparents)

Try to learn as much as you can about THEIR life experiences. Not so much to avoid making any mistakes they may have made, but because they LIVED HISTORY (your FAMILY history) - and passing along their historical life markers and their reaction to major historical events seems so much more interesting to me than what some historian or famous person says about it.

I could think of many "Wish I Had Known" examples, but your example looms larger the older I get.

When I was young, I quizzed the s**** out of my dad about farming details — everything from timelines of tractors he had owned to what decade was best for Iowa farmers from his standpoint. (he started farming in mid-50s, claimed 60s were "pretty good"). I remember a lot of things he said about such things, but I never documented it by taping him or keeping notes.
 
Can't agree. I have the career I always wanted by asking your former question. Also, your questions don't seem mutually exclusive...is it a money thing?

Sure, money is part of it. But its not solely a money thing. Its a lifestyle thing. How do you want to live your life? Travel, time with family, where do you want to live, amount of stress you have, what events/experiences do you want to be able to do, etc.

That's great that you have the career you want by asking what yourself what you want to do. My experience is that most people don't have the life they truly want by only asking that question though. If you start with what you actually want and reverse engineer things to find something that allows you to live that way, I believe you will be happier overall.
 
Sure, money is part of it. But its not solely a money thing. Its a lifestyle thing. How do you want to live your life? Travel, time with family, where do you want to live, amount of stress you have, what events/experiences do you want to be able to do, etc.

That's great that you have the career you want by asking what yourself what you want to do. My experience is that most people don't have the life they truly want by only asking that question though. If you start with what you actually want and reverse engineer things to find something that allows you to live that way, I believe you will be happier overall.

Yeah, but even if you reverse engineer your life you still have to do something to make a living...might as well be what you enjoy doing. I don't see that the two things are mutually exclusive. For example, I know that I could reduce my stress level by changing jobs or maybe a different firm but I don't by choice.
 
A few years ago I was at a small town street dance and they had a live band playing some oldies. There were some kids from an ISU swing dance club there (2 guys and about 12 girls). Those guys had girls lined up all night just waiting to dance with them.

This isn't very important, but would have been nice to know at the time. I would have joined that swing dance club. My wife and I were dancing too, but I didn't learn until after I was married.
 
Dating in high school is not a great idea.

I knew that then, but still dated a bit, and it was a bad idea. Might just be because of it being a small school.

Otherwise I wish I would have known time really does go fast, especially after college. My years after college have been some favorites but they went by in a flash.


I wouldn't completely discourage dating in high school. But I'd definitely tell myself not to take it so seriously.

The chances are very slim that you're going to marry your high school sweetheart. So date if you want, but don't make those big future plans based on what your HS girlfriend/boyfriend are going to do. EVER!

Unless you are the most mature teenager ever, you likely don't even know who the hell YOU are while you're in High School. I know I'm a completely different person from who I was in HS, and the first few years of college. I've evolved since then as well.

Of course teenagers don't usually think that logically. They think their HS sweetheart is the perfect person for them, even though they've only dated a handful of people at most.

I let my HS relationship dictate multiple future decisions and it was terrible.

I plan on giving my boys this advice when they get to dating age. That and, "wrap it up." No grandbabies for me until you're at least in your mid 20s.
 
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