Advice you would give to your 15 year old self

[johnneycool]

Be true to yourself and honest with your friends without being pig ignorant, they'll respect you longer term for it.

Never be afraid to make a mistake, go for it.

[laoislad]

Be yourself and love yourself. Don't give a toss what anyone thinks of you but be nice to people all the same, if you want them to be nice to you.

Soon you'll start going to nightclubs. It's ok if you don't like them. They really are shite, you're not weird for hating them. You'll meet women in other places.

Take a couple of years off from education after you finish school. Do a bit of work and a bit of travelling and go to college when you know what you really want to do.

Getting pissed out of your head and acting like an ass isn't hilarious or "mad" or "cracked" or anything like it. It's a bit pathetic and we do it in Ireland because we're afraid to express ourselves sober. You can get as much of a buzz from exercise and sport as you can from drink, drugs and fags.

....and don't forget to use sunscreen

[gallsman]

buy a house when you get done with university - you can afford the mortgage - trust me
dont let anyone get in the way of your dreams - especially yourself - will save time later
spend more time with your grandparents

I'd tell myself and all my friends the exact opposite. Get over this very Irish and British idea that you simply must own a house ASAP.

I was paying rent in my 20s when I could have paid a mortgage. I have friends who bought houses and rented them out and in 10 years some of them will own more than 10 houses each that were paid for by renters like me! I would rather have 10 houses to sell when I'm 50 or have the rental income than be sitting with one house to my name....

How would people afford their, for example, 150% mortgages, if they left uni in, say 2006 and then lost their jobs a few years later?

What happens when you're 50, have ten houses to sell and nobody to buy them?

Effectively advising a 15 year old to get into property speculation at 21 is lunacy in my opinion.

[No wides]

Most of your friends now will cease to matter to you in 10 years time.  The only reason your "friends" are slagging the girl you hooked up with is that they are jealous they can't get one and are trying to act cool, on their own without a girl friend!!

[No wides]

buy a house when you get done with university - you can afford the mortgage - trust me
dont let anyone get in the way of your dreams - especially yourself - will save time later
spend more time with your grandparents

I'd tell myself and all my friends the exact opposite. Get over this very Irish and British idea that you simply must own a house ASAP.

I was paying rent in my 20s when I could have paid a mortgage. I have friends who bought houses and rented them out and in 10 years some of them will own more than 10 houses each that were paid for by renters like me! I would rather have 10 houses to sell when I'm 50 or have the rental income than be sitting with one house to my name....

How would people afford their, for example, 150% mortgages, if they left uni in, say 2006 and then lost their jobs a few years later?

What happens when you're 50, have ten houses to sell and nobody to buy them?

Effectively advising a 15 year old to get into property speculation at 21 is lunacy in my opinion.

You have a great grasp of the economy and the growing population if you think that would ever happen!

[Dinny Breen]

Be a wolf. Wolves don't stay away at night wondering what the sheep are thinking about.

[gallsman]

buy a house when you get done with university - you can afford the mortgage - trust me
dont let anyone get in the way of your dreams - especially yourself - will save time later
spend more time with your grandparents

I'd tell myself and all my friends the exact opposite. Get over this very Irish and British idea that you simply must own a house ASAP.

I was paying rent in my 20s when I could have paid a mortgage. I have friends who bought houses and rented them out and in 10 years some of them will own more than 10 houses each that were paid for by renters like me! I would rather have 10 houses to sell when I'm 50 or have the rental income than be sitting with one house to my name....

How would people afford their, for example, 150% mortgages, if they left uni in, say 2006 and then lost their jobs a few years later?

What happens when you're 50, have ten houses to sell and nobody to buy them?

Effectively advising a 15 year old to get into property speculation at 21 is lunacy in my opinion.

You have a great grasp of the economy and the growing population if you think that would ever happen!

If you're old enough, try casting your mind back five or six years and see how much was happening in the property market.

[AZOffaly]

Be a wolf. Wolves don't stay away at night wondering what the sheep are thinking about.

Ye Leinster rugby lads are mad into this psychobabble

[Champion The Wonder Horse]

Don't be influenced by any of that religious shite that is foisted upon you.

[armaghniac]

Say away from amoral Godless people and 6 countyists.

Don't bother with Facebook.

Eat more fruit and veg.

[FermGael]

Take the extra year in Australia.

[laceer]

Getting pissed isn't cool or grown up - don't attach so much weight to it.

Put in even a little effort for exams, uni etc. - it'll save you catching it all up in later years!

Enjoy every game of football you play - at 15 it can seem like you'll be playing for ever, at 32 you'll wish you could play them all again.

[gallsman]

Getting pissed isn't cool or grown up - don't attach so much weight to it.

Put in even a little effort for exams, uni etc. - it'll save you catching it all up in later years!

Enjoy every game of football you play - at 15 it can seem like you'll be playing for ever, at 32 you'll wish you could play them all again.

Ah it can be great fun all the same though. I didn't really start drinking until I was 17 and ramped up until about 23 before going the other way from then on. These days most of my drinking will either be wine with food (and largely if only out in a restaurant) and an occasional whiskey at night. Almost never "go for a few drinks" and will likely only go to the pub if meeting up with friends that haven't been seen for a while. More likely to go for dinner though.

[laceer]

Getting pissed isn't cool or grown up - don't attach so much weight to it.

Put in even a little effort for exams, uni etc. - it'll save you catching it all up in later years!

Enjoy every game of football you play - at 15 it can seem like you'll be playing for ever, at 32 you'll wish you could play them all again.

Ah it can be great fun all the same though. I didn't really start drinking until I was 17 and ramped up until about 23 before going the other way from then on. These days most of my drinking will either be wine with food (and largely if only out in a restaurant) and an occasional whiskey at night. Almost never "go for a few drinks" and will likely only go to the pub if meeting up with friends that haven't been seen for a while. More likely to go for dinner though.

It was more my attitude towards drinking at that age that I'd change. Enjoy the odd drink myself.

[magpie seanie]

Be yourself and love yourself. Don't give a toss what anyone thinks of you but be nice to people all the same, if you want them to be nice to you.

Soon you'll start going to nightclubs. It's ok if you don't like them. They really are shite, you're not weird for hating them. You'll meet women in other places.

Take a couple of years off from education after you finish school. Do a bit of work and a bit of travelling and go to college when you know what you really want to do.

Getting pissed out of your head and acting like an ass isn't hilarious or "mad" or "cracked" or anything like it. It's a bit pathetic and we do it in Ireland because we're afraid to express ourselves sober. You can get as much of a buzz from exercise and sport as you can from drink, drugs and fags.

This is exactly what my 15 year old self needed to hear and listen to. Great post Asal Mór.