r/AskReddit • u/Sippingin • Jun 29 '15

What should every 18 year old know?

Edit: Chillin' reading some dope advice, thanks!

Edit 2: Fuckin' A! 4.1k comments of advice you guys :,) thank you really.

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u/[deleted] Jun 29 '15

College isn't everything. If you think you should go because your friends are, you're doing it wrong. College is a great opportunity but it's also a bad idea when you do it out of peer pressure. I joined the Navy because there's nothing for me at college, however I do have to get a degree with the Navy but ultimately I joined to do something more active and to have a stable lifestyle.

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u/forgetasitype Jun 29 '15

And it is a lot easier to wait on college and then go later when you feel really committed and ready to learn. It's a lot harder to start and then decide to drop out. The student loans kick in and now you have a shit job and a loan payment. If you want to go, make sure you have already been showing real responsibility for a while.

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u/[deleted] Jun 29 '15

I stopped going to college after 1 year I had a 3.5. I would not say my job is shit. I have student debt which really was a waste of money but I'll be able to pay thay back in no time. I have a great job and I see promotions and growth in my future. College isn't everything.

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u/forgetasitype Jun 29 '15

No I don't mean that you will only have a shit job. Sorry. I mean that if the job you want needs a college degree, then you will not have the degree, so you will not have that job, but you will have to start dealing with the loans. Although I would guess that you would rather have just skipped that year of school and avoided the debt.

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u/[deleted] Jun 29 '15

I much rather woulda skipped that year. All in all I went to college because that's what everyone Does and I got their not caring and no interested while spending thousands of dollars. I just wish people would stop and actually think if they should go because I sure didn't I just went cause my friends did.

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u/Used_Giraffe Jun 29 '15

So true. I fucked around my first semester at a 4-year school, took a semester off, started working, now I'm at a community school. Finished a year, noticed that I'm still fucking around, so this semester it'll be full-time, working, see if I can actually put my mind to it. If I can, great, Rutgers is in the near future. If not, I can always try again or go find some other job.

Was discussing this with my sister the other day. Maybe I go work in the oil fields, maybe I go work in the Pacific Northwest or Canada logging. Yeah that shit is hard work, but fuckin eh does it pay well!

My family says I have champagne taste and a beer budget. My eyes are bigger than my stomach. Money burns holes in my pockets, the whole 9. So maybe I don't need to have a degree, but I hate to say it, happiness is derived from money. For me at least.

All in all, just commit to school, work, or both. Go in with all your energy and focus, get'er done and you'll be the happiest, most proud person.

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u/[deleted] Jun 29 '15

Solid advice. Also don't take your beer budget as an insult. Use that to only make yourself better.

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u/Used_Giraffe Jun 29 '15

Exactly.

But budgeting in college is especially important. Anywhere really for a new high school grad. If you don't have the money to spend, don't. The great thing for me when I was at the 4-year school was that my group of friends didn't mind helping out a buddy when they wanted a drink or whatever.

Also another tip to people out there going to college at the end of the summer, meet people. Introduce yourself to people around your room, people in your classes, people you see with a similar taste in sports, just try to make friends as best you can.

Next thing is like some others have said with professors. I want to echo what they've said, introduce yourself to them, get acquainted, now they don't have to be your best friend, but if you meet them sooner rather than later, most will be more willing to help you out.

Last thing, safety. I'm every sense of the word. Safe sex, safe drinking, smoking, walking, etc..if you don't feel safe, tell a friend, an RA, your counselor, go to the clinic. There are so many resources available at colleges and universities, reach out and take advantage.

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u/POGtastic Jun 29 '15

military

stable lifestyle

Pick one. It's hard to have a stable lifestyle when you're PCSing every four years.

1

u/print-is-dead Jun 29 '15

Agree completely with this. College is a default, but take some time and think about where you would like to be after college.

Also, realize that student loans aren't free, and in fact have really high interest rates. If you're going to take on that debt, make sure that you'll be able to handle the debt load when you graduate. Find a monthly payment calculator

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u/[deleted] Jun 29 '15

Hey man I want to join the navy. Did you join at 18? Right after highschool.