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As exhilarating as it can feel to be young, it's easy to also feel lost and unsure. Let's face it, without life experience, it’s pretty darn hard to know what to do and, just as importantly, what not to do. Mistakes are good teachers, but seldom fun to go through. 

A netizen asked people 30 and older “What advice can you give to people in their early 20s or younger?” and folks from across the internet gave their best suggestions. So get comfortable as you scroll through and take note if you are on the younger side. Upvote your favorites and share some wisdom if you happen to be thirty or older. 

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#1

“You Will Regret It Later On”: 30 Millennials Share The Best Advice They Have For Gen Z If you feel like college isn't for you or you have no idea what you want to do, you can make a very respectable living and have far more job security if you learn a trade. The world will ALWAYS need electricians, carpenters and plumbers...etc.

When I was growing up, college was pushed on us so hard that we would feel like failures if we went into a trade. Buying into that mentality is something I will always regret.

OkaySureBye , Nick Karvounis Report

Final score:
195points
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#2

“You Will Regret It Later On”: 30 Millennials Share The Best Advice They Have For Gen Z Don't take criticism from someone you wouldn't ask for advice. Why would you let a bunch of basement-dwellers' DMs make you feel bad about yourself?

throwtheclownaway20 , Dev Asangbam Report

Final score:
135points
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#3

“You Will Regret It Later On”: 30 Millennials Share The Best Advice They Have For Gen Z Take care of your teeth.

Status_Fact_5459 , Diana Polekhina Report

Final score:
135points
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#4

“You Will Regret It Later On”: 30 Millennials Share The Best Advice They Have For Gen Z It's okay to keep things private and live offline. As you get older, you might regret how 'open' you were with the world.

randombeing222 , Erik Lucatero Report

Final score:
128points
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#5

“You Will Regret It Later On”: 30 Millennials Share The Best Advice They Have For Gen Z Don’t start using tobacco products. Your health will thank you.

willi3blaz3 , Pawel Czerwinski Report

Final score:
119points
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#6

“You Will Regret It Later On”: 30 Millennials Share The Best Advice They Have For Gen Z For guys especially - don't be afraid to seek help if you feel you're struggling mentally (male s*icide rates remain shamefully high in Western societies). Also, no matter how embarrassing you may find it, if you have medical concerns about your d**k, balls, prostate, etc., then for f***s sake go see a doctor.

DavosLostFingers , Austin Kehmeier Report

Final score:
110points
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#7

“You Will Regret It Later On”: 30 Millennials Share The Best Advice They Have For Gen Z Don’t keep toxic people in your life based on brief memories of good deeds. It’s temporary and probably manipulative tactics. Friendship is a two-way street, it’s a mutual giving. If this person tears you down, makes jokes at your expense, doesn’t contact you unless they want something. Get rid. I had so many toxic friends in my early 20s that took me way too long to get rid of.

Gingerpyscho94 , Surface Report

Final score:
107points
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#8

“You Will Regret It Later On”: 30 Millennials Share The Best Advice They Have For Gen Z The entire economy is set up to abuse you in every way that it can. Learn math, financial literacy and how to plan EARLY, OFTEN and CONSISTENTLY.

ChangingHats , Adeolu Eletu Report

Final score:
106points
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#9

“You Will Regret It Later On”: 30 Millennials Share The Best Advice They Have For Gen Z Indulge in your hobbies, it’s so fulfilling and gratifying. Sketching, painting, pottery, crochet? DO IT. Hobbies nurture the soul and feed the spirit. If it makes you happy keep at it. You don’t need to make a career out of it. Just so long as it makes you happy.

Gingerpyscho94 , Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 Report

Final score:
105points
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#10

“You Will Regret It Later On”: 30 Millennials Share The Best Advice They Have For Gen Z Don't rush growing up. Enjoy yourself.

Rippling_Debt , Aaron Burden Report

Final score:
101points
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#11

“You Will Regret It Later On”: 30 Millennials Share The Best Advice They Have For Gen Z Don’t be afraid to say I’m sorry/ I was wrong/ I don’t understand/ could you please explain that again? People don’t think about you as much as you think they do.

Which_Ad3038 , cottonbro studio Report

Final score:
95points
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#12

“You Will Regret It Later On”: 30 Millennials Share The Best Advice They Have For Gen Z Take care of your body. Eat healthy and exercise. You will be shocked at how much your body starts falling apart as you age. I know I was.

CockfaceMcDickPunch , Tyler Nix Report

Final score:
94points
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#13

“You Will Regret It Later On”: 30 Millennials Share The Best Advice They Have For Gen Z Keep in mind that when someone who is older and more experienced gives you advice, they're generally giving the advice that they wish they had followed when they were young. It's not necessarily advice that is calibrated for you or your circumstance.

ForgettableUsername , Tim Kilby Report

Final score:
93points
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#14

“You Will Regret It Later On”: 30 Millennials Share The Best Advice They Have For Gen Z Don't try and be the person that everybody likes. Not everybody is going to like you. Deal with it. The faster you realise that some people are always going to be a******s, or the faster you realise that some people are just never going to like you, and that you shouldn't give a f**k, in return - the faster, and happier, you will be. 

Dippycat149 , Levi Guzman Report

Final score:
88points
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#15

“You Will Regret It Later On”: 30 Millennials Share The Best Advice They Have For Gen Z I have two pieces of advice. Do not run up debt it will follow you or ruin you. Do start saving money as soon as you possibly can. If you have 5000 dollars in savings you will be better off then 70% of Americans.

Tink2013 , Towfiqu barbhuiya Report

Final score:
84points
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#16

“You Will Regret It Later On”: 30 Millennials Share The Best Advice They Have For Gen Z Wait to have kids.

_ObsessiveCoder , Ben Wicks Report

Final score:
79points
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#17

“You Will Regret It Later On”: 30 Millennials Share The Best Advice They Have For Gen Z Drink less booze or non at all.

LonnieJaw748 , Dylan de Jonge Report

Final score:
71points
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#18

“You Will Regret It Later On”: 30 Millennials Share The Best Advice They Have For Gen Z Learn to cook. Way cheaper and way healthier. Learn to change your car’s brakes yourself. There’s not much else with owning a car where you can turn a $500 fix into an $80 fix in two hours.

Son_Of_Toucan_Sam , Conscious Design Report

Final score:
66points
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#19

“You Will Regret It Later On”: 30 Millennials Share The Best Advice They Have For Gen Z Don’t stay in a job that makes you miserable. I’ve had multiple jobs and at nearly every single one I was treated like shit by management or bullied by coworkers. My mental health suffered and I was miserable. I’ve since left years ago and found myself a happier one. It’s just not worth it, even for the pay. 

Gingerpyscho94 , Magnet.me Report

Final score:
66points
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#20

“You Will Regret It Later On”: 30 Millennials Share The Best Advice They Have For Gen Z Wear sunscreen… everyday.

Regardless of skin tone or type.

runnersblock , BATCH by Wisconsin Hemp Scientific Report

Final score:
65points
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#21

“You Will Regret It Later On”: 30 Millennials Share The Best Advice They Have For Gen Z Please put your own health at one of the highest priorities. Both physical and mental. Things get much harder the older you get. Your health will help you if you take care of it for many things.

If it means deciding on taking breaks from things that's OK.

RoseWolfie , Jonathan Borba Report

Final score:
64points
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#22

“You Will Regret It Later On”: 30 Millennials Share The Best Advice They Have For Gen Z Don't be afraid to make mistakes. When you do own up to them, learn from them and move on.

Bizzlebanger , CHUTTERSNAP Report

Final score:
64points
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#23

“You Will Regret It Later On”: 30 Millennials Share The Best Advice They Have For Gen Z Appreciate your body and imperfections! Don’t waste your 20s feeling insecure about things you cannot change. You will likely look back one day and wish you had the body you have now so enjoy it. Wear what you want. If insecurity creeps in, think about what you DO like about yourself every day. Remember there will be people out there who LOVE the things about you that you don’t like so much.

reminisce2222 , Valeria Smirnova Report

Final score:
64points
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#24

Never stop being active.

youbetchamom Report

Final score:
62points
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#25

“You Will Regret It Later On”: 30 Millennials Share The Best Advice They Have For Gen Z Don’t get married yet. You have no idea who you actually are and what’s really important to you in your early 20s.

12345_PIZZA , Wu Jianxiong Report

Final score:
56points
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#26

“You Will Regret It Later On”: 30 Millennials Share The Best Advice They Have For Gen Z Save for retirement. Nobody else is going to help you in the US.

First_Code_404 , Towfiqu barbhuiya Report

Final score:
55points
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#27

“You Will Regret It Later On”: 30 Millennials Share The Best Advice They Have For Gen Z DO NOT SETTLE! You are young. You may feel societal, familial, or relationship pressures to settle. Whether that be settling in a relationship with someone you are afraid to leave, or settling in a career that you don't like because it will appease your family etc... don't do it. You will regret it later on down the road. Enjoy life, be free/ be your authentic self. 

BigBearSD , Javier Quesada Report

Final score:
54points
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#28

You can’t control what other people say or do. You can only control your own actions and words. Stop trying to change others and focus on ensuring what you say and do reflects who you are. Likewise, nobody else can control your words or actions. Be accountable for yourself, and don’t let someone else have control over what you say or do.

Oldschoolgroovinchic Report

Final score:
52points
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#29

“You Will Regret It Later On”: 30 Millennials Share The Best Advice They Have For Gen Z Love people. Hold onto the people who matter to you, learn to forgive (with the caveat that you keep a soft eye out for manipulators), and know that no one is perfect. But they’re worth keeping around. Hold on tight, for as long as you can. 

OverallAd9971 , Tyler Nix Report

Final score:
50points
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#30

“You Will Regret It Later On”: 30 Millennials Share The Best Advice They Have For Gen Z If you think you might have a addiction take care of it now. The whole "you hurt the people closest to you" isn't a cliche and if you have a conscious it'll be hard to live with. It's better to get it taken care of sooner than later.

ravendarkangelx , kychan Report

Final score:
48points
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#31

Ask that guy/girl that you like if they want to go on a date. In ten years you might be married, or total strangers, but at least you won't be saying "I should have done it".

JBOYCE35239 Report

Final score:
16points
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#32

No one really knows what they are doing.

CricketJaxson Report

Final score:
15points
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#33

Don't just socialise with people in your age group. You can learn a lot by spending quality time with people a few decades older. And when you yourself get older. Try to make younger friends too.

forsaken-bus-pass Report

Final score:
14points
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#34

“You Will Regret It Later On”: 30 Millennials Share The Best Advice They Have For Gen Z Practice things youre bad at. In 10 years you will be good at them…and you’ll only be 30 something.

HomerEyedMonad , Daria Tumanova Report

Final score:
13points
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#35

“You Will Regret It Later On”: 30 Millennials Share The Best Advice They Have For Gen Z Your college degree doesn't mean you're hot s**t and doesn't entitle you to anything. Unless you're a byproduct of nepotism you're most likely going to have to suck it up and do low paying b***h work till you can build experience or connections.

Kaiserhawk , Logan Isbell Report

Final score:
13points
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#36

Try to have at least 2 months' paycheck in your savings for bad times. They will happen.

Trashpenguins Report

Final score:
13points
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#37

Don’t hoard too much stuff you don’t use anymore. Sort as you go along or you’ll have a very big job on your hands when you move out (if you haven’t already). Also clutter free is just better for your mind.

reminisce2222 Report

Final score:
13points
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#38

“You Will Regret It Later On”: 30 Millennials Share The Best Advice They Have For Gen Z Choose a life before it chooses you. Best advice I can offer. Get working. Go to college make something of yourself. Make a family. Do anything you can do before you let life choose you.

Jazzlike_Grab_7228 , Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 Report

Final score:
12points
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#39

After 30 time seems to go by faster. Enjoy and cherish what's important, life can change in the blink of an eye.

Otherwise-Sun7730 Report

Final score:
11points
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#40

Don’t focus on one thing. Try to learn as much as possible on as many different topics as possible. And I don’t mean just academically, I mean everything. If you see your grandma weaving, cooking, cleaning, anything, ask her and try to learn something, even a little goes a long way in the long run. Same with your parents, family members, coworkers, etc. Early on you can make mistakes and not suffer the consequences as much as you do when you get older. You remember when you were young, and your parents taught you to look both ways before crossing? That, not only you do it unconsciously today, but the same principle is applied at other things without you even realizing it. That’s why I say, learn as much as you can, whenever you can. Your future self will be unequivocally grateful.

Curious_Phrao Report

Final score:
10points
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#41

Don't overdo it. You're young, but you'll age quickly if you overexert. A damaged knee is forever, and that makes weight harder to take off.

girhen Report

Final score:
9points
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#42

“You Will Regret It Later On”: 30 Millennials Share The Best Advice They Have For Gen Z Every few years, sit down and literally plan where you want to be in ten years. Like what do you want your relationships to look like, job, life.. break it down by things you care about and journal it. And give yourself a few action steps. You can always adjust but it’s good to give yourself concrete goals.

Successful-Group245 , Marissa Grootes Report

Final score:
8points
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#43

Take all opportunities to spend time with your friends and get out there to try new things. All my groomsman have been my buddies since high school or younger. I only get to see them on holidays or a rare fluke these days. All married some with kids etc, we still get to game maybe 1 evening a week but that’s a far cry from pretty much my entire life before my 30s. It’s such a wild lifestyle change from the life I had in my 20s. I was never required to be anywhere or do something to the house or go to some event at that time. Don’t get me wrong I am loving this chapter for different reasons but that low income/renting apartment/living with a buddy/dont know what’s gonna happen today freedom is something I miss.

heylookitscaps Report

Final score:
8points
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#44

Get yourself a good set of dishes. Don't get fancy. Something made to last and is resilient enough for everyday use. You don't need a second set of plates for guests. That's for baby boomers who still have sitting rooms.

Get a good cast iron pan and a set of stainless steel pots and pans. They can stand up to a.lot of heavy use
Avoid anything advertised as non stick because once scratched the coating is worthless and it will release toxins into your food.

Don't buy the knife block; get yourself a bread knife, a paring knife, and a chefs knife that can hold an edge. A sharp knife in the kitchen is always safer than a dull knife. Get them sharpened regularly.

nikkesen Report

Final score:
8points
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#45

Breathe. Seriously. Learn how to take deep belly breaths. 
Along the same lines, meditate. It’s a game-changer.

OverallAd9971 Report

Final score:
8points
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#46

Travel as much as you can.

hemorrhoidssuck Report

Final score:
7points
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#47

If you work has a 401K, put in, at minimum, as much as they match (if they match). Even if they don't, open that personal Roth IRA and put in what you can. Even putting in $100 a year will add up dramatically — hell, even $50 a year will make a difference. Also, try really hard not to cash it out. Life happens, but if you can just leave it and let it sit, it will pay dividends later.

Bunnita Report

Final score:
6points
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#48

Own your possessions, don’t let your possessions own you.
And true happiness is found through connection or accomplishments, not acquisition nor control.

Bituulzman Report

Final score:
5points
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#49

Find jobs or schedules that stimulate a realistic work/life balance you want. In your 20s your confidence will be challenged alot because you are at the beginning of adulthood. Don’t burn out or think you need to be at the bottom to be on top. You are going to find out the higher you climb, the dumber people are.. and it’s just a game of understanding work-to-life balance. 

Chicken_manure Report

Final score:
5points
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#50

Start building habits of friendship now, whether its a weekly poker night, or a spa day, etc - start scheduling group activities now, while it seems unnecessary, so that later when life goes crazy you will have your friends there with you.

SparrowLikeBird Report

Final score:
5points
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#51

Hard work and determination are still going to get you further than the opposite. The world is not fair, but that’s no reason to give up. Giving up guarantees you will lose. Stay ambitious, even when people around you cease to be. Beware of the allure of victimhood - it seems to be very fashionable at the moment, but it will do nothing for you beyond the brief dopamine rush of an expression of sympathy.

thrillsbury Report

Final score:
4points
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#52

Wear whatever you want!

liquitexlover Report

Final score:
4points
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#53

Try to be as honest with yourself and others as possible. You don't want to do something? Is it because you think it's a bad idea or is it because you are afraid of failure?

EmperorKira Report

Final score:
4points
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#54

Less saturated fat, more fiber.

FrankieMint Report

Final score:
4points
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#55

Have as much sex as you can. It's not going to last forever.

newdietofdiesel Report

Final score:
2points
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#56

Dont run after men so hard and focus on your career/business because men will come into your life no matter if u broke or have money they will come. Also get your life together not just money wise but health wise and mental wise. When u do that more men will be more attractive to u which is what u want why because u will have more a selection to pick then having to just settle for anyone meaning anyone that u are not attractive to physical and mental as well. So basically force on yourself in your 20s so in your 30s u can focus getting a husband.

New-Web5100 Report

Final score:
2points
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#57

Build your credit as soon as possible, be responsible with it. Bad credit will F you endlessly and it’s hard to get out of the bad credit pit. Where you live, what you drive, emergencies and such will all be defined by your credit.

Historical-Age-3302 Report

Final score:
2points
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#58

Take naked pictures. Like professionally.

No I don’t mean send them to people!! And don’t do it for a boyfriend or a girlfriend - just for yourself!

You will look back years from now at how gorgeous you were and how much your “flaws” were really not flaws and were quite lovable.

Old_Scientist_4014 Report

Final score:
-1point
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#59

To actually try and find a serious partner in your mid 20s. Growing up I’ve always heard your 20s are for having fun etc and don’t get pregnant. However once you hit your 30s you realise everybody good is already taken.

pool120 Report

Final score:
-9points
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