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When we were kids, we couldn’t wait to grow up. There was something about adulthood that looked so cool: being able to decide for yourself, not depending on anyone or asking anyone’s permission. But as we got older, we realized that it’s hard making decisions when your life depends on it, it’s nice to have someone to depend on and not be totally on your own and that other people’s advice is actually valuable and can help you out a lot.

Entering the real world can be scary because you really are thrown out of your comfort zone. But to make the fall a little bit softer, you can prepare in advance by knowing what there is to know. There is a lot of knowledge on the internet you can refer to or you can just ask. Reddit user JNobes11 did just that—they asked people “What is an important piece of advice you can give for those moving into the ‘real world?’” People from all walks of life shared what is the most valuable thing they know about ‘the real world’ so young people wouldn’t struggle with the transition as much.

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#1

The ‘Real World’ Is Full Of Secrets And People In This Online Group Are Spilling Them To Help The Young Adults Entering It (30 Pieces Of Advice) Forget all the b******t you learned as a kid.

People aren’t fair. Working hard doesn’t always mean you will be successful. But not working hard at least some of the time ensures failure. The police are only your friends when your life is in danger. Any other time, on anything else, they are likely to think you are the bad guy. You can’t afford to be sick now. Taxes are a b***h and no, they won’t spend them the way you want them too regardless how much of a keyboard warrior you are. A perfect job doesn’t exist. Every job sucks at least some of the time. Get used to it, but do not let it destroy your health. Kids are more expensive than you think. Love doesn’t always last forever, even for families.

TimesUglyStepchild , Thomas Cloer Report

Final score:
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#2

The ‘Real World’ Is Full Of Secrets And People In This Online Group Are Spilling Them To Help The Young Adults Entering It (30 Pieces Of Advice) "Legal" and "illegal" are not the same as "right" and "wrong".

Don't expect things to work out in your favor just because you "did the right thing" - there is no invisible hand that punishes the bad and rewards the good.

drdoom , Philip Shoffner Report

Final score:
190points
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#3

The ‘Real World’ Is Full Of Secrets And People In This Online Group Are Spilling Them To Help The Young Adults Entering It (30 Pieces Of Advice) Just because you have the money to buy something doesn't mean that you can afford it

Naweezy , Vincent Diamante Report

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Kona Pake
Kona Pake
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wanting something Iscompletely different from needing something.

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#4

The ‘Real World’ Is Full Of Secrets And People In This Online Group Are Spilling Them To Help The Young Adults Entering It (30 Pieces Of Advice) CONDOMS, use them

Naweezy , Rorro Navia Report

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#5

The ‘Real World’ Is Full Of Secrets And People In This Online Group Are Spilling Them To Help The Young Adults Entering It (30 Pieces Of Advice) Trust your gut. If something feels off, there is a pretty good chance that it is.

sarcasmbirthedme , Francisco Osorio Report

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#6

The ‘Real World’ Is Full Of Secrets And People In This Online Group Are Spilling Them To Help The Young Adults Entering It (30 Pieces Of Advice) Don’t cook bacon naked

LostInAFishBowl73 , Gloria Cabada-Leman Report

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Loty
Loty
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This should be the #1 advise for everyone. I'll also add don't touch your privates after handling and slicing some hot chilies!!! I learned it the hard way :)

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#7

The ‘Real World’ Is Full Of Secrets And People In This Online Group Are Spilling Them To Help The Young Adults Entering It (30 Pieces Of Advice) When furnishing your home with stuff you find on the side of the road, it's fine to take hard things (tables, art, etc) but never pick up soft things (upholstered chairs, carpets...)

Vampilton , Brandon Atkinson Report

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SPQRBob
SPQRBob
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Especially mattresses. Just don't. And those stains are probably *EXACTLY* what they look like they might be.

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#8

The ‘Real World’ Is Full Of Secrets And People In This Online Group Are Spilling Them To Help The Young Adults Entering It (30 Pieces Of Advice) It's ok to say no.

It's just a job, there will be others.

Don't try fitting in if it requires you to break your personal values.

Being respectful and polite is cool.

[deleted] , jseliger2 Report

Final score:
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Raven DeathShade
Raven DeathShade
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"But if someone wrongs you, treat him in turn with kindness and compassion, for in doing so you will heap coals of fire upon his head." --some passage in the Bible I remember but forget the exact placement of.

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#9

The ‘Real World’ Is Full Of Secrets And People In This Online Group Are Spilling Them To Help The Young Adults Entering It (30 Pieces Of Advice) Never stop learning.

Keep up with your old hobbies and interests, and pick up new ones. Takes classes, free ones and pay for those you can afford. Join groups for people with your interests so you can learn from them and learn from teaching them.

zazzlekdazzle , Clarence Risher Report

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Susie Elle
Susie Elle
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Make hobbies a priority sometimes! I hear so many people sighing when talking about how they never get around to thing A or B that they used to enjoy so much, and how "once the kids are in school I'll have more time for it hopefully". No! Don't wait around for time to show up because it never does. Try to prioritize it over that chore you feel like you must first complete or those dishes you have to do before you allow yourself free time. Happiness makes for happy people and most of all, better people :)

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#10

The ‘Real World’ Is Full Of Secrets And People In This Online Group Are Spilling Them To Help The Young Adults Entering It (30 Pieces Of Advice) Learn to think for YOURSELF. All of your life your parents taught and promoted THEIR views on life, politics, religion, etc. and probably also told you how wrong the other viewpoints are. Now is the time to go, "How do I feel? What do I think?"

MoonieNine , Bri Report

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smugdruggler
smugdruggler
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've always believed that it's better to teach kids how to think, not what to think.

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#11

Your employer is usually a neutral party at best. Rare exceptions to this exist, but as a rule your boss is not your friend and does not have your best interests at heart.

They have you there to make money off of your labor, no more and no less. This is a business arrangement, learn to automatically see this as the default.

You need to look out for your own interests. Get a better offer elsewhere? Don't think for a second you owe loyalty to your boss, they'd replace you in a heartbeat if you keeled over at your desk.

Similarly: mental health days are sick days. Don't trick yourself into believing that you're 'letting the team down' because you need to take care of yourself. No one else at your job is going to take care of you, at best they will do the bare minimum to meet legal requirements.

There are exceptions to the above and sometimes the right people or management can earn your loyalty. Just remember that you come first. Not customers, not co-workers, not managers. Do the job, get paid, go home. Never believe that you have to sacrifice your physical or mental wellbeing for a job, they don't pay you enough for that. Ever.

ZeroTrousers3D Report

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#12

The ‘Real World’ Is Full Of Secrets And People In This Online Group Are Spilling Them To Help The Young Adults Entering It (30 Pieces Of Advice) A long commute is rarely worth it.

cholula_is_good , Rolf Larsen Report

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Kona Pake
Kona Pake
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Less personal free time, less sleep, higher insurance premiums to pay for that 30, 60, 90 mile commute and greater possibility of getting into an accident or an incident of road rage.

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#13

The ‘Real World’ Is Full Of Secrets And People In This Online Group Are Spilling Them To Help The Young Adults Entering It (30 Pieces Of Advice) Be very careful of being dragged into any sort of workplace drama/politics. That friendly coworker who is dishing you all the dirt as you learn the ropes is looking for allies. You have no obligation to hang out with these people in a social setting.

GeologistScientist , Chris Martin Report

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109points
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#14

The ‘Real World’ Is Full Of Secrets And People In This Online Group Are Spilling Them To Help The Young Adults Entering It (30 Pieces Of Advice) Look after your teeth because they are expensive to fix, toothpaste, a good toothbrush and dental floss are cheap so use them well. Look after your credit rating, it is difficult to fix when it goes wrong and also remember that things do go wrong so perhaps have a small contingency available if you can. Learn to save and budget so you know how much you can use and save comfortably. Be good to yourself and look after mental health.

Hmscaliostro , Edward Webb Report

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Kona Pake
Kona Pake
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hey, that’s pretty neat, areversible mirror reflection.

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#15

The ‘Real World’ Is Full Of Secrets And People In This Online Group Are Spilling Them To Help The Young Adults Entering It (30 Pieces Of Advice) Don't just react to things. Think critically. Take a few seconds to analyze situations and come up with conclusions. Always be self-aware and never let people use your emotions against you.

[deleted] , Cristian Ungureanu Report

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SPQRBob
SPQRBob
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3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This implies that the American education system teaches critical thought rather than just hopes it somehow develops organically. I honestly never experienced the formal teaching of critical analysis until I was in college.

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#16

The ‘Real World’ Is Full Of Secrets And People In This Online Group Are Spilling Them To Help The Young Adults Entering It (30 Pieces Of Advice) Buy a plunger before you move in to your first place on your own, buy it BEFORE you NEED it.

SaraAB87 , Laura Stoinski Report

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NsG
NsG
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And note that there are different plunger types - one for sinks, one for toilets. Learn the difference.

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#17

The ‘Real World’ Is Full Of Secrets And People In This Online Group Are Spilling Them To Help The Young Adults Entering It (30 Pieces Of Advice) The real world is actually really small. Be careful of burning bridges because you’d be surprised how easy it is to run into someone years and years after you last saw them.

votedog , Rich Moore Report

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#18

The ‘Real World’ Is Full Of Secrets And People In This Online Group Are Spilling Them To Help The Young Adults Entering It (30 Pieces Of Advice) Honesty and humility get you far in the work place, as it can often be a game of likability (just be careful not to be a doormat).

E.g. I work in IT and once I was troubleshooting an issue that ended up being my fault. I told my boss it was my fault, how, why, and what we did to fix it. He told me someone else not only blamed me, but took responsibility for fixing it. I ended up coming out looking better, despite all of it being my fault, simply because I was honest. I was promoted a few months later.

Drea_Alder , kpschuermann Report

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88points
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Bettie-Jean Neal
Bettie-Jean Neal
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you do mess up, find a way to fix it. THEN own up to it. I've always kept it casual and part of a daily update with my boss.

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#19

The ‘Real World’ Is Full Of Secrets And People In This Online Group Are Spilling Them To Help The Young Adults Entering It (30 Pieces Of Advice) Everyone makes mistakes. There is no real point in constantly trying to avoid novel mistakes. Instead, accept that you are human, and instead make sure to learn from you mistakes when they happen.

"This isn't a mistake, it's a happy little accident" - Bob Ross

Nuditi , Brian Moore Report

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Loty
Loty
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nobody learns on other people's mistakes. You have to make your own and grow as a human being.

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#20

The ‘Real World’ Is Full Of Secrets And People In This Online Group Are Spilling Them To Help The Young Adults Entering It (30 Pieces Of Advice) If you're unhappy with your job, put tons of effort into finding a new one ASAP. Also learn to recognize toxic work environments. I once saw a guy quit his job in under 4 hours, just noped right out.

BitPoet , Gisela Giardino Report

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#21

The ‘Real World’ Is Full Of Secrets And People In This Online Group Are Spilling Them To Help The Young Adults Entering It (30 Pieces Of Advice) Not everyone is going to like you regardless of what you do, trust your gut instinct (it's called that for a reason) take no s**t but do no harm, meaning don't be a d**k but put people in their place when necessary

no-talent_loser , LeAnn E. Crowe Report

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#22

The ‘Real World’ Is Full Of Secrets And People In This Online Group Are Spilling Them To Help The Young Adults Entering It (30 Pieces Of Advice) Do 10 minutes of cleaning every day, rather than 2 hours of cleaning on one day of the week.

Drapion1002 , Mike Burns Report

Final score:
79points
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Ozacoter
Ozacoter
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And be mindful of the other people in the house. It hurts a lot if you soent 2h cleaning the kitchen and your roomate or partner just leaves a mess

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#23

The ‘Real World’ Is Full Of Secrets And People In This Online Group Are Spilling Them To Help The Young Adults Entering It (30 Pieces Of Advice) There will be someone who will hate your guts for no particular reason, even if you are friendly with them, or even more so. It will not be your fault.

silma85 , Fernando de Sousa Report

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Bettie-Jean Neal
Bettie-Jean Neal
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

At every job there is a "Sophie in Credit." You hate her. and she hates you. For no reasons. None. Usually it's because you see something in her that you hate about yourself.

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#24

The ‘Real World’ Is Full Of Secrets And People In This Online Group Are Spilling Them To Help The Young Adults Entering It (30 Pieces Of Advice) The intensity of your social life will likely change - and this is mostly a good thing, but be prepared for it.

Being outside of school means you are free from a lot of the weird drama that comes with doing everything in a closed system with roughly the same people. There is still drama, but you can almost always escape it because your life is divided now. You don't live with all your friends and work with them.

On the other hand, making new social connections is a new challenge because you aren't thrown into a closed system with people all at your stage of life with many of the same problems. But making friends definitely happens. For me, wherever I was in life, it always took me about one year to make one new close friend. Patience is key. I would say you make fewer social connections, but a lot of them are of higher quality.

A last piece of advice, don't view work as your only source, or even your primary source, for friends, dates, and hook-ups. Try to keep part of your social life separate.

zazzlekdazzle , Glug Events Report

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Toni Alabakovski
Toni Alabakovski
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This obviously is definitely true, but I also must say, that in my life (I’m 41), I have made many social connections, only a few are close friends now. But those connections, I feel like are still genuine friendships and we are always there for each other when needed. We don’t feel like we have to be best friends, whether we are new friends or old friends, we trust each other. This goes for my hubbies friends too. His friends & my friends (& their spouses & s/o’s) would do almost anything for us and the other way around, and the level of friendship means nothing.

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#25

The ‘Real World’ Is Full Of Secrets And People In This Online Group Are Spilling Them To Help The Young Adults Entering It (30 Pieces Of Advice) Have a budget and stick to it. Know the difference between wanting something and needing something. Don't forget to add a treat yourself line in the budget. Don't focus on what other people have/do. Stay in your lane and focused on you and yours. Get a cast iron skillet.

Deedoodleday , 401(K) 2012 Report

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Kona Pake
Kona Pake
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Saving your money to get sozzled every Friday and Saturday night it’s not a good budget or health and safety decision.

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#26

The ‘Real World’ Is Full Of Secrets And People In This Online Group Are Spilling Them To Help The Young Adults Entering It (30 Pieces Of Advice) If something is too good to be true it probably is. People will try to take advantage of you, and you’ll probably fall for it sometimes. It’s how you learn, don’t be too down on yourself just learn from it and move on.

Redsox933 , Michael Fötsch Report

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yeciye
yeciye
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Congratulations you are a visitor number 1.000.000. Reply with “I didn’t read the tip“ for a chance to win $100.000!!!

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#27

The ‘Real World’ Is Full Of Secrets And People In This Online Group Are Spilling Them To Help The Young Adults Entering It (30 Pieces Of Advice) You don't have to know how to do everything. Knowing how to learn, and being willing to put the effort into learning it, is more important than knowing any one skill.

Your attitude is more important than aptitude. An employer can teach you the specific skills needed, but if you aren't a person that people want to be around, then why would they bother?

PerianeD , Peter Thornton Report

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NsG
NsG
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'd add to that first sentence - you don't know everything. Plain and simple. You never know *everything*, there is always something new to learn.

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#28

The ‘Real World’ Is Full Of Secrets And People In This Online Group Are Spilling Them To Help The Young Adults Entering It (30 Pieces Of Advice) Even though money goes in and out of your account automatically doesn't mean you never have to look at your bank account. Just a quick daily check of your balance and spendings will keep you out of a lot of troubles.

re_MINDR Report

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Sam rice
Sam rice
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3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Keeping a check book helps track money. I can't tell you have many times I've overdrawn my account thinking i have more than I do then all those pending transactions clear.... Also daily check-ins on your account to look out for fraudulent charges

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#29

The ‘Real World’ Is Full Of Secrets And People In This Online Group Are Spilling Them To Help The Young Adults Entering It (30 Pieces Of Advice) Don't trust everyone. There are definitely nice people out there but they too are surrounded by a**holes waiting to take advantage of them and you.

iknowthisischeesy , cesar bojorquez Report

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#30

The ‘Real World’ Is Full Of Secrets And People In This Online Group Are Spilling Them To Help The Young Adults Entering It (30 Pieces Of Advice) Don’t let perfect get in the way of good.

And if you make a meal plan for the week, you’ll save a lot on wasted groceries and have a better chance of making nutritious choices.

And wear sunscreen EVERY day, even the cloudy ones.

cowgirltrainwreck , Henri Bergius Report

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Bettie-Jean Neal
Bettie-Jean Neal
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Start to make your meal plan Friday night. Grocery shop on Saturday and food prep on Sunday.

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