The “Water Cooler” is a feature on Claycord.com where we ask you a question or provide a topic, and you talk about it.
The “Water Cooler” will be up Monday-Friday at noon.
Today’s question:
QUESTION: If you could go back in time and give the teenage version of yourself one piece of advice about life, what would it be?
Talk about it.
As a current teenager, I look forward to reading the responses. I’ll be taking notes LOL! Thanks Claycord.
mip, … Website I visit daily, here’s part of his story.
https://tinyurl.com/mtpavfb3
Los Medanos college over the hill in Pittsburg, CA.
https://www.losmedanos.edu/EETEC/curic.aspx
How does $43.00 an hour strike you ?
Don’t waste your time doing four years of college, go to a junior college and become an industrial electrician. After 5 years experience if in a Union you’ll be making a substantial living wage and a skill set that allows you to get a job anywhere in the world.
I totally agree with Original G. I wasted years getting a BA and worked towards the Masters degree and I feel, while I had a good career, I would have been happy and ahead, financially, had I chosen the trades. NOT EVERYONE SHOULD GO TO COLLEGE! Society needs trades people and the need will never diminish.
I don’t agree. Do both, if you want, but at least do the four years in college. Years ago my mother and I were talking about a book we both read. At one point she realized it was almost as if she read ABOUT the book and I read the actual book. The reason is traced to my years in college writing papers. I continue my education up the hill through Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at CSUEB, Concord. I recommend this program I’ve been attending for over 18 years: scholarolli.com.
With my children prepping for college now, this hits home. My spouse is all about the four year college – mastering the SAT – straight A’s come before most other things –
I am more of the belief that take college if and when it suits you. I took a 30 year hiatus from college because I was not ready at 18 for four more years of forced learning in a profession I only thought I wanted to follow. I am an odd duck, before my college degree I made >$150k a year.
College is NOT for everyone. Trade schools are awesome and those skill will always be needed. Fire service technicians, electricians, construction, etc …
And college does not make you smart, the only guarantee is that you can show how to pass a test.
I agree not everyone should go to college. However, just like not everyone is cut out to go college, nor is everyone cut out for the trades. Young people should be encouraged to find out what the like and are good at and then be supported towards their goal.
The key is to take what ever choice seriously and don’t waste time doing it. Some people waste their time in college (and before that in high school). Other work hard in college and put it to good use. Getting things for free usually doesn’t build a good skill set. I lived an austere life while a student, all through PhD … and didn’t rack up piles of debt.
I’d say don’t try to be like everyone else but be yourself! That you are special and unique! Ignore peer pressure.
Don’t matter……..teenage me didn’t listen to no one.
That girl…the one with the…you know – stay clear of her.
Always use Protection.
Only finance a House, no cars or other non-essentials.
Learn the value of Delayed gratification.
Find out how you do with the ‘marsmallow’ test.
Save your money, and stay healthy Poor and sick is no way to live. Take some chances I missed out on some opportunities for reasons that don’t really matter now.
.
Invest your money in a small company named “Apple Computers”.
.
In my day it was invest in Polaroid.
I’ll add stay clear of Enron and some guy named Bernie.
Know that it gets better. And yes, college is going to be wonderful.
Punch that teacher who told you better marry well, because you were not cut out to work in an office. Go to college and get your Masters degree. You should have been running that company instead of working in that office and teaching others.
Visit my Grandma and Grandpa more often and ask questions.
And LISTEN to their answers…
I visited my grandparents often (and had three living great grandparents, too). I just didn’t know the right questions at that time!
All my grandparents were A-#-1. Knew some greatgrands too
Heard stories of their lives and learned even more with the sad and joyful process of going through their belongings when they passed.
One G-Ma lived to be pretty old…. her social filter was failing her. Learned at lot of family kept deep secrets in her last years…..
Some fascinating stuff….
Ah….. a bit off topic, but just enforces: Listen ! They have a lot so say…
If you find that you are taking the wrong path and despite your serious effort it is not working out, turn around and take a different path. Hoping things will get better is not a strategy. Don’t be the person in a couple of decades saying, “I wish I had…..”
Your friends are losers. Get new ones
Just one word : ” Plastics”
Are you trying to seduce me?
You beat me to it by a couple hours,
What ever you’re doing – STOP.
Lay off the sauce kid.
Nothing, I didn’t start listening to advice until well into my 30s.
“Be sure to drink your Ovaltine.”
A crummy commercial?
yep
it’s classic
@Rollo Tomasi….This crummy commercial has stuck with me since it first came on, I hate Fram oil filters but this applies to a whole lot more in life than just preventative engine maintenance…..
https://youtu.be/Ij1yDpfZI8Q
Treat everyone you meet like they are the Savour.
Care about politics. Those politicians can and will impact your lives. Their political party affiliation is not that important but their character and morals are. If you question their behavior, take action by voting them out.
I would give myself the Grays Sports Almanac.
Most of your teachers aren’t as old as you imagine and if you’re lucky you will continue to see your favorites for many years to come.
Say YES to the good stuff more often, your ‘to do list’ will always be there and never be completed.
Wake up and be your favorite self each day, even if that changes every single day.
Tell your people that you love them and they mean more to you than they could ever imagine, every change you get.
Always take out the trash before it starts to stink, in the kitchen and your life.
Hang onto your favorite jacket/coat… it will come back in style sooner than later.
Know that there’s more than one career out there for you, try them all if you can. (the legal ones)
… be responsible, save $$ & don’t splurge on no-essentials, have fun while you’re young but be legal about it …. if you’re interested in traveling do it before you get your career job
Do what you love, not what your high school counselor tells your mother you are “capable of …”
I don’t think I’d offer any advice.
I made many, many, mistakes in my teens and early twenties and it shaped who and what I am now which I am completely happy with.
Plastics
ROTH IRA.
Open it now, and have money withdrawn for contributions when you’re paid, so you hardly even notice it…
Martinezmike & Rollo Tomasi. Next line? Nuff said. Great movie.
There’s a great future in plastics.
Believe in yourself
Get a college degree first. Choose your friends wisely.
Gather ye rosebuds while ye may
Let sun shine down while making hay.
Make sure to look before you leap
And leave those lying dogs to sleep.
Most surely love will conquer all
When pride comes right before a fall.
Faint heart won’t win a lady fair
So of your pennies take great care.
As time and tide will never wait
Make sure your path is always straight
Make up before you go to bed
Remember you’re a long time dead.
– Mary Ann Love
DONT DO DRUGS
Never go out of your comfort zone.
I disagree to a certain degree. It depends what the comfort zone is. Often going out of your comfort zone makes one grow. If your comfort zone makes you weary of certain investments, that seem suspicious I would say trust your instincts.
If your out of your comfort zone is going into to certain areas at night or even in the daytime, I would say that is good advice.
Taking a job or starting a business out of your comfort zone will often be beneficial in the long run.
Move out of CA & don’t move back under any circumstances…
buy that vacant lot down the street, sit on it, sell it, then move out
See as much of the world as possible before you settle down. Don’t marry too young, if you choose the right person you will have many years together even if you marry in your thirties. If you study and go to schoolf for a long time, take a break and do something frivolous before you get serious about a career. Could be 6 weeks, 3 month whatever. I wouldn’t trade the years I travelled and lived in other countries for anything, that in itself is an education.
In your thirties start to get serious about saving for retirement, don’t live of credit cards, don’t buy expensive new cars unless you can pay cash. Have as few payments as possible. i.e. the last 2 is more of less what Dave Ramsey preach, I happen to think he is right.
Don’t have kids!
Never underestimate the distance a small dropped object will travel.
Figure out what you love to do … and make that your life’s work … you’ll never “work” a day in your life … and get the heck out of this failing country … travel until it feels right … then put down roots
JoJo…. you live in Viet Nam, you left America (the “failing country”) but retain your American citizenship and continue to vote in America’s elections ? You think that’s good advice?
Geez…. after seeing your advice I feel pretty good about my “Drop out of school and become a professional gambler” advice.
Yes … you are correct sir … just here waiting for a miracle back in my birth country … as if … actually, I am following my lifelong dream of making back to Okinawa and retiring … next month I leave Vietnam and am doing the site survey and land lease. Okinawa is the only place I have experienced no guns, no drugs, no crime … pretty much a paradise … crept maybe the typhoons … last time I was in Claycord, my neighbor got stabbed to death, and the hospital murdered my mom.