GTKY 11.11

keikilove · November 2020

chindimples04 · November 2020

Get some help.

18 was a really rough age. *TW SI*

I planned and attempted suicide quite a few times at 18. I wish I would have reached out for help sooner.

paytonpedro · November 2020

Get more schooling.

I have an associates but looking back I wish I went farther, and in my current field. My degree isn’t even remotely helpful to what I do now.

bows22 · November 2020

It gets better.

I feel like there was such a perception that your teenage years are the “best of your life” but I honestly feel that my life continues to get better every year. I hope that keeps happening!

inthewoods23 · November 2020

@bows22 that is so true. Ask anyone, most probably hate the idea of going to their high school reunions. You're so much more free to be your own person and do the things you want to do once you're on your own living your life without parental influence or dealing with peer pressure at school. I feel like most people don't have lifelong friends or continue to talk to high school or college friends. I've moved around twice in my childhood so there was no such thing as having a childhood friendship continuing today. Maybe that's easier for kids these days with the internet, but social media was not a thing in the 90s.

@chindimples04 I'd probably branch off yours and say "you'll be okay". When you're younger you have no idea how to advocate for yourself and reach out to people without judgement. I always wonder how much easier I would have gone through those years if I had dealt with anxiety back then. Part of my depression was always the feeling that my family never cared about me enough to express their concerns about my emotions or thinking I needed help. I was just always labeled as the overly emotional one and to stop crying when my brother would pick on me at home. And that is SO damaging when you don't feel heard. It takes a lot of courage to be able to seek help. I often had all those thoughts that are associated with depression, but for some reason I never took action on those thoughts, even though my mind REALLY wanted to do them.

fitzfizz · November 2020

Others’ opinions irrelevant.

The grammar isn’t the best, but it gets the idea across in 3 words. 18 year old fitzfizz was very preoccupied with opinions of peers, which led to some dumb decisions to try to fit in and not be seen as the nerd. I wish I had just embraced being a nerd and hung out more with my nerdy friends.

Kenneylynn3 · November 2020

You're worth more.

fameonmain2 · November 2020

Allow some grace.

inthewoods23 · November 2020

Ok, I just have to add this to lighten the serious mood of this thread (not a bad thing at all!).

My 3 words would be some version of:

He gets hotter/sexier
He's your soulmate
Puns puns puns
He is hysterical

DH and I started dating when I was 18 so these would be fun little things to tell myself way back when. Quarantine has done a number on DH's appearance in that he completely shaved the sides and back of his head (not to the point of being bald there though), leaving only the top to grow so he can look like Ragnar from Vikings. He has no Scandinavian ancestry lol, but he looks hot nontheless. He's even got the mustache and beard going, but the beard doesn't grow that well along the jawline. Maybe we should do a DH look-a-like GTKY sometime?

Fans of Vikings try the Ragnar Lothbrok Hairstyle Mens Hairstyles Club

keikilove · November 2020

You’re doing great.

I was very independent at that time—left my large family early to go away to school. I felt quite alone & out of my comfort zone at college. It was a discombobulating experience. I’d just encourage my younger self that I was on the right track & doing the best I could.

krash_ · November 2020

So this is more than three words but it would be something like this

Basically, Krash, get some perspective. Your life isn't that rough, you don't have to be all tough and hurt. It gets worse but also better so just have fun.

optimisticoctopus · November 2020

Mine was originally going to be “pick your people” (at 18 I was going through some friend breakups that were super hard. And then at the beginning of college I was trying so hard to be friends with literally everyone instead of picking just the people who would be best for me).

BUT I’m feeling inspired by @inthewoods23 since DH and I also started dating at 18, and it would be so fun to go back to myself and say “You’ll marry him”! And I really love the “he’ll get hotter” 😂

inthewoods23 · November 2020

@runningoncookies this GTKY came up at such a good time because my mom had shared in our big family group chat some pictures of us at a winery that they were at that particular day but 6 years ago and MAN does DH look young.

Does anyone else look at their old childhood or high school photos and think "wow I look like a dweeb, I can't believe we thought that was stylish fashion"? Because that's basically what I said with how DH wore his hair back in the day.

optimisticoctopus · November 2020

@inthewoods23 omg yes! Looking at pictures from middle and high school totally cracks me up. I like to wonder why my I never listened to my mom about how to do my hair like a normal person lol. My favorite though is looking at prom pictures and while I absolutely was in love with my dress it was very very trendy and makes me laugh now. The pics of me and DH in high school are super easy to date lol

paytonpedro · November 2020

@inthewoods23 omg yes!! Dh and I started dating when I was 16 and looking at the pictures (from 12 years ago 😱) we literally look like little kids!!

Can I add another one?

Love yourself or love your body.

I wish I was as fat as I thought I was at 18. 🙄

acleverusername · November 2020

So many great ones here! And so many rule breakers (3 words is 3 words!) Haha. Love that @fitzfizz made your thought fit into 3 words. Mine is:

Trust your gut.

I've spent most of my 20's and early 30's not listening to my gut and ended up making poor decisions. Ultimately, it delayed my getting to where I am now. But, better late than never, as they say! I probably would have gotten back with MH a lot sooner (in 2014, to be precise) if I had listened to my gut instead of my head.

I do love @inthewoods23's H related ones. I met MH at 25, and he was a scrawny, nerdy, kid with glasses. He's WAY better looking now; but obviously I still liked him then.

Follow-up question: would your 18 year old listen to your future self's advice?

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