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I'm only 24 but I would have told my teenage self not to worry so much about what others think of you because they are too busy thinking about themselves to notice your minor faults.
Get a dual degree in coding and in journalism. Learn as much as you can about coding and get a tech job and then blog about it and make additional cheese doing that on the side. Also, study abroad a couple times. Go to college earlier, while your really young not later when your a 22-year-old freshman. Don't get serious about any girls either, love them then leave them but still marry that girl you married at 27...she's a keeper!
Knowing what you know now based on your own experiences..
About college, or employment choices? what would you tell your younger self
STUDY, STUDY, STUDY, and STUDY SOME MORE.... Seriously. I've done fairly well in life, but I'm still amazed at how academic mistakes you made when you made when you are a teenager can still haunt you when even when you are in your 40s. I would have definitely tried harder to get in to a better school, and then gotten better grades when I was there. While it hasn't hurt me career wise, it did hurt me when I tried to get a masters 20 years later.
Should have signed those papers for the Air Force when I was 22.
This. I was offered a commission about five years after I graduated college. At the time I laughed at them. Big mistake. I probably still make more than I would if I was in the Air Force, but I would be close to collecting a pension by now instead of worrying about having my job outsourced.
College: Learn what you want to do with your life before you invest the time and money.
Career: Always learn from the mistakes of others. Invest more time learning the profession. Spend more time listening to the old grey haired guys who've been doing the work for decades and less time chasing girls
Never devote all your trust in an employer. Just because they say something, doesn't mean it's true. Just because they make a promise doesn't mean it will come true. You are merely a means to an end. At the same time, work hard every day as if your job depends on it. You only get what you put in regarding a career. They will always invest the most in the worker who will give the best ROI.
If the work environment is damaging you in some way, GET OUT. No job is worth your health or sanity. If you have to drink yourself to sleep, it's time to find something else. Even if it means taking a lower wage/salary, no job is worth that.
Life: Don't take it too seriously. Bad stuff happens. How you deal with it dictates the ultimate outcome. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and move on. Never spend too much time listening to the pessimists. They will always see the glass as half empty no matter what. Even if it's an illusion, I'd rather believe the glass is half full. At the very least, I'll sleep easier at night.
Dad always regretted leaving his high school teaching job and he desperately encouraged his kids to work for the government.
I did make a few attempts in 81-82... not the best timing on my part.
Looking back all those high school friends are enjoying a tremendous retirement with those in law enforcement at the top... where else could someone with a 2 year degree retire at 51 with 180k lifetime pension and medical and then go to work for another agency for 130k? So 310k not too bad.
Even the rank and file all have a minimum of 100k pensions retiring from the OPD.
I choose to work in private industry and pensions have proven elusive for me... just when things are looking up... along comes a merger or take over and you start all over...
Also... going into debt for college is over rated in my opinion... so many graduate or worse with a mountain of debt... I worked my way through the engineering program with a double major... took 5 years with no summers off... the upside was having less than $1,200 in debt when I earned my BS
Location: On the "Left Coast", somewhere in "the Land of Fruits & Nuts"
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Great thread idea! Learn to trust your gut instincts, take good care of your health, always follow your passion (and not someone else's), and know that someday you will amaze yourself at what you can accomplish (and survive)!
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