Wisdom From the Youth on my Birthday

For my birthday last year, I asked adults for reflections -- in either paragraph or haiku form -- on whether they regretted anything they did or *didn't* do when they were 21. Here were some of their answers. 


This year, for my 22nd birthday, I'm asking my friends under 22 -- who are no less wiser than the people I asked last year -- to give me the gift of answering the following:

If you are under 22, what is one thing you hope you'll do or do better when you're 22? Or, put differently, what is one thing you will regret *not* having done by the time you turn 22? (Bonus points for Haiku!). Some answers are below:

On another note, Thank You to all who made my birthday incredible.

***

still close with old friends

doing hot shit in the bay

because I want to


Secrets leave us here

Kept inside they leave us chained
Honesty prevails

- pull off some crazy shit with friends that I will never forget I did in college

- graduate having a solidified philosophy for the moment (i.e. aware that it will likely change as I grow) that can really guide me in my decisions and purpose


I really hope to have taken a BIG risk by age 22. Life is too short to play it safe all the time and sometimes the biggest risks have the biggest payoffs. By 22, I want to have say I took a chance on something because I truly believe in it and whether it pays off or not, I have done it. If I haven't taken a risk by age 22, I think I will feel like I am selling myself short


Meet a great girl that means a lot to me

Spend as much of my college time having the time of my life (whatever that means)

Figure out what I want to do when I graduate

Meet as many amazing people as possible

Travel more of the world

Workout at least 3-4 days a week consistently

Maintain connections with the friends you have that mean most to me.

Lastly, spend this summer doing something very meaningful for my life, whether that be an internship or traveling or meeting someone great.

All in all just live it big. I know you do so I'm not too worried.


Before I am 22, I would like to make some mistakes and emerge stronger and more "in touch" with myself.  Maybe that means not thinking about what I want to do before I'm 22, or 30, 35 but living more completely in the present.

I don't think that coming of age is something that changes who I am or my priorities. I think a person can always become a better person. Everyday we learn and everyday we change. By the time I'm 22, I hope I have been able to execute an idea full throttle that truly benefits the world.

I've come to a point where I've learned that life just knows best. It just brings what you should be getting at that moment (not always the same as what you want to get). So I don't really set goals for myself anymore. Right now, I trust life enough and go wherever life takes me. And it has taken me to many places. So that's how I live now. No goals. Things will get done when they get done. If they don't, they're not meant to be. And if you'd push me for a goal, here's my one and only: to be happy.

When I am 22, I hope that I will focus more on the present. Attempting to predict the future or analyzing the past often detracts from living in the present.  Mindfulness mitigates external pressures to the contrary.  Although these practices yield some value, finding a healthy balance between focusing on today versus tomorrow or yesterday seems beneficial.