Would you like the person you were? Or would you hate that girl/guy? What advice would you give yourself that would shape/help or change the person you are today OR advice that would change the course of your life so you do not end up here and now?
These questions were posed on a forum I chat on and I thought it would make for a PERFECT blog entry.
10 years ago I was 20. In my second year of studying Hotel Management at Technikon. I was doing what most students too – waitressing, partying and attempting to pass in between.
I also started my first of two 6 month in service training at a hotel. It was a fun 6 months but I grew up fast in those 6 months. A week before my training was up I came face to face with a jealous girlfriend. I was terrified. She was hard core and I was not. After the whole terrifying ordeal I went home and ate an ENTIRE tub of Bar-One ice cream – it was the first and last time I have ever done that. I was in shock and the sugar helped!! She got what she wanted though – he proposed a week later. They were married and 6 months later divorced.
Ok back to the point
Would I like the person I was then?
Possible although I was the smart one. The one who got the good marks. The one who was always chosen to do things. I was, by no stretch, of the imagination the favourite. I attended a very conservative mainly Afrikaans institution and I am a rather liberal English speaking girl who has no issues voicing her opinion. This was not a quality they found endearing. We were a small class and the gap between me and the rest was big – so I dont think they liked me a whole lot. I was also exceptionally naive and when I look back that quality irratates me about myself.
What advice would I give?
Its the same advice I would give any person now – young or old. Trust yourself. I didnt. I was confident in every way except in making choices that effected me on a personal level. Its taken me almost 10 years to learn that lesson and get it right.
I would also possible tell her to stay away from men with psycho girlfriends! And not to get drunk at work then tell your line manager you are drunk! Mainly because he may no fire you but will try grope you instead!
I would also tell her doing his assignments for him will not make him fall in love with you.
I would also tell her not to drive drunk – spinning your car and living to tell the tale is NOT something to be proud of.
I would tell her to pay more attention in cooking class and French class. Both are handy things to know how to do.
Had I received that advice I wouldnt have been where I am today. I wouldnt have lived through the things I did 10 years ago. I wouldnt have felt all the things I did then.
And I wouldnt have missed out on any of it!
Picture one was me at my 21st (I couldnt find pics of the year I was 20) and picture 2 was at our final technikon dinner the same year.
5 Responses
That is a great blog entry. And would work as a wonderful meme as well. I might just take that theme and run with it, if I get a chance to write at some point later today. Amazing, isn’t it, the knowledge and wisdom that a mere 10 years can bestow. And humbling…
Great story. Be well.
OMG I LOVED THIS! What great pictures too! I want to do it, but I have to scrounge up pictures of me at 16 (ew). Trust yourself, have more confidence, don’t care so much about what people think…yeah all stuff I wish I would have had back then.
I too have bragged about spinning my car across two lanes on a mountain pass. WHY????? I COULD HAVE DIED!! ERRRG.
What a cool post! You haven’t changed much 🙂
There are times I wonder what I would tell myself to not do at age 20, but then I think that each thing I did led me to where I am today. So I don’t really want to change that.
But I am glad that I am wiser at age 31 than I was at 21.
Awesome post!! Gorgeous picture!! Let’s see 10 years ago today…Hum I had just had my second child and my ex walked out on my two kids and I…advice for that point of my life…make sure to enjoy my children more while they were young!!! I did not realize how fast it goes by…now that I am in my 30’s with two more small ones..I make sure to take the time and smell the roses…really wish I would have done the same back then…I wanted my kids to grow up so fast, because it just seemed easier for a single mom….I could sit here and cry thinking about that…but I am not going to…thankfully they are still at an age that being with mom is still okay…and I have slowed down and made damn sure to be with my kids!!! One other thing I would change..not ten years ago..but 3 I would have stopped my best friend from going out the night he was killed in a car wreck…miss him…but as far as everything else..I am happy with the way my life so far has turned out…all the bumps in the road are worth the prize at the end! 🙂