What would you tell your 22 year old self?

[Jack_Pine]

I'd tell him to think about how others perceive him especially when he's making a first impression and to tone down the sarcasm.

This

 

[JoeWras]

Wear sunscreen.

 

[Onward]

Just ran across this at Forbes.com.

20 Things 20-Year-Olds Don't Get - Forbes

 

[chasesfish]

Don't buy that Saturn, it'll be a bum at 150k in miles.

 

[chasesfish]

Just ran across this at Forbes.com.

20 Things 20-Year-Olds Don't Get - Forbes

I love that story. Pick up the phone is the most important lesson in that,

 

[Accidental Retiree]

I would have told myself, "You're too young to get married. Finish college, start a career, and travel."

 

[gauss]

Keep It Up, young gauss!

I would tell my 22 year old self to stick with your plan, it has worked out better than you thought it would!

Some specifics include:

1. Get a partner with similar values, that you also enjoy being with & also has a good income of their own.
2. Challenge conventional wisdom via critical thinking. Don't worry about keeping up with the Jones or anyone else.
3. Front load your retirement savings early by not increasing your standard of living post college. Every $ not saved now would have been worth many times more 25 years from now ( ie look at the right hand side of an exponential graph).
4. Don't have kids if you are not doing it for the right reason (ie trying to conform to societies expectations, please your parents etc.)
5. Buy experiences, not stuff. Memories are worth much more down the line.

-gauss

 

[Sesq]

At 22 I was already a saver, interested in compound interest, etc. Financially there wasn't much to say. I was socially shy and awkward, so I guess I could tell myself to relax and take a few social chances.

That was also the year I lost my leg in a garden tool accident. Ultimately I'd rather have my foot, so I guess a heads up would be due. But that experience did shape many things that came.

Just before that time, my parents were musing about their kids and likened one brother to my mother and another to my father. Then they came to me, and said that I am my own. That was pretty liberating to me.

 

[AndrewJackson]

If I could go back, I would tell my self to borrow as much money as I could and invest in S&P otm call options.

-Currently 23 and last year was a good one for stocks.

 

[poorcarver]

Resign your commission, you are going to get blown up next year.

 

[LinCella]

To give up the negative thoughts that stopped me from saving money. I never thought I'd own a home so I just spent every dime I had. I had no clue about retirement and so spent every dime I had. Got into early credit card debt that has never ceased.

And now, at 54, I own no home, I only have pension and a very small 457 for retirement and credit card debt. I just had no confidence that I could do more.

 

[Donzo]

Stay in shape. I was a lacrosse player through college and was in great condition at 22. It's much easier to maintain speed and strength than to try and get it back.

I was always concerned about $, afraid I would not have enough or would lose my job. Saving and learning about investing was pressed into me by my depression era parents. Building a portfolio was in my blood.......thank heavens! The thought of still working at this point is very distasteful. I have been free for 7+ years now and enjoy it very much.....

 

[Midpack]

I wouldn't have listened when I was 22 either, but clearly the OP won't accept that answer. And making honest mistakes is an essential part of growing/learning like it or not...but most 22 year olds may not grasp that.

 

[Larro Darro]

Guys, I was not trying to be a smart a$$, just being honest. What worked for me was to spend a few years running wild and not doing any saving. At about 27 or 28 I was tired of being broke, and I have been saving ever since. You have to live your life as it comes.

I think without sowing my wild oats as a youngster, I would be tempted to do it in middle age. Now I'm never tempted to waste money or do stupid things. Although I did spend $17.7K this morning on a 13 Camry LE from up in Indiana. In eight days when it gets here, we will see if it was a smart buy or not.

 

[Major Tom]

Guys, I was not trying to be a smart a$$, just being honest. What worked for me was to spend a few years running wild and not doing any saving. At about 27 or 28 I was tired of being broke, and I have been saving ever since. You have to live your life as it comes.

I knew exactly what you meant and judging from the comments, others did too. Looks like the OP misread you. Hopefully we haven't scared him off

 

[arebelspy]

Looks like the OP misread you.

Or OP proved it correct by not listening.

 

[Bestwifeever]

OP hasn't even been here since he made post #3 in this thread, so he's not read ANY of our great advice!

 

[Major Tom]

He works full-time at his State Capitol, so he doesn't have all day to sit around yapping on forums like us ER fogies

 

[haha]

P.S. FearTheTaxMan - you only have 6 posts under your belt and are already castigating other members? If you read Larro Darro's comment again, you may see that it is a perfectly valid comment. Welcome to the forum - we try to be kind to each other here. Well - for the most part

+1. Suddenly I could not hear him anymore after that one.

Ha

 

[Gatordoc50]

If my 52 year old self appeared before me when I was 22 I'd listen pretty closely.

 

[Calico]

I'd tell him to think about how others perceive him especially when he's making a first impression and to tone down the sarcasm.

Well said.

 

[MRG]

If my 52 year old self appeared before me when I was 22 I'd listen pretty closely.

Yea, the 22 year old me would have asked what the blank did you let happen to my hair!

Seriously, it would have been to get out of the dead end job you have and go back to school (had to spend 4 more years in 'the school of hard knocks' for that genius idea to set in).

Like has been, said odds of 22 year old me listening, not too high.

MRG

 

[EllisWyatt]

At 22, I was already implementing most of the financial advice I'd give myself , so the only thing I could tell me would be.........

When you meet a girl named Kimberly, run like h*ll, do not pass go, and don't look back...........'nuff said.

 

[EllisWyatt]

P.S. - no, she is most definately not DW

 

[gozer]

If we are talking time travel. I would give myself a list of companies to invest in. I would include the price to buy in below and the price to sell at. Instead of being worth a few million today, I would be on the cover of Forbes.

But I assume you are really asking what advice I would give that doesn't involve very specific future knowledge like that. So that list would be more like this:

• 99% of the time when something is limited time, you want to avoid it. If you blindly say no every time in these situations, you will end up so much better off that the 1% lost opportunity is irrelevant.
• Eat healthy and exercise, sex is better
• Your thoughts on index funds are pretty much on the money, stick with it. Save as much as possible this way.
• The shine wears off the flashy new toys almost as soon as you buy them. Wait just a few months and you get the same toy at a much more satisfying price.

There are actually things I would be afraid to tell myself for fear that it would negatively impact my life today. For example, I would be afraid to say anything that would change my former Type A, over-achieving work ethic. It let me build up a lot of money in the early years that benefits from compounding returns now. I have ended up in a pretty good place today. It seems like I could more easily make things go wrong, than get better. Perhaps it's just best to leave 22 year old me alone. He wasn't perfect, but he stumbled in the right direction often enough to make life today pretty sweet.