31 Things To Do While You're Still Young

They say youth is wasted on the young. Are you wasting yours?

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1. Travel as much as you can before responsibility takes hold.

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Traveling becomes infinitely harder the older you get, especially if you have a family and need to pay the way for a party of three or more.

2. Learn another language.

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Don't let all that high school Spanish go to waste. Find a way to keep it fresh.

3. Go see that musician you love so much.

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"Nah, dude, I'll catch Nirvana next time they come through town." Facepalm.

4. Tackle the things that make you uncomfortable.

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Looking back you'll think, What was I so afraid of?

5. Wear sunscreen.

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Wrinkles, moles, and skin cancer can largely be avoided if you protect yourself.

6. Live authentically.

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Don't let gender roles define you. Few things are as sad as an old person saying, "Well, it just wasn't done back then."

7. Value yourself enough to find someone who makes you happy.

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No one who ever gets out of a bad relationship looks back without wishing they made the move sooner.

8. Make physical fitness a priority.

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Too many of us spend the physical peak of our lives on the couch. When you hit 40, 50, 60, and beyond, you'll dream of what you could have done.

9. Stop and appreciate how beautiful you are.

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Too many of us spend our youth unhappy with the way we look, only to see our true beauty through the lens of time. Enjoy yours now.

10. Make the most of your time in school.

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Eventually you'll realize how neat it was to get to spend all day learning, and wish you'd paid more attention.

11. Listen to (at least some) of your parent's advice.

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You don't want to hear it, but the infuriating truth is that your parents have probably been through a lot more than you realize and have some actual wisdom to share.

12. Say "I love you."

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When you're old, you won't care if your love wasn't returned — only that you made it known how you felt.

13. Take some time off.

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No one looks back from their deathbed and wishes they spent more time at the office, but they do wish they spent more time with family, friends, and hobbies.

14. Forget about what other people think of you.

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In 20 years you'll be hiding those people's Facebook updates.

15. Let it go.

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What's the point of reliving the anger over and over?

16. Master one awesome party trick.

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You will go to hundreds, if not thousands, of parties in your life. Wouldn't it be cool to be the life of them all?

17. Take care of your teeth.

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Brush. Floss. Get regular checkups. It will all seem so maddeningly easy when you have dentures.

18. Be your own advocate.

New Line Cinema.

Old people don't take shit from anyone. Neither should you.

19. Find a job you love.

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Look, you gotta pay the bills. But if you don't make a plan to improve your situation, you might wake up one day having spent 40 years in hell.

20. Volunteer for something you believe in.

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Making a difference in someone else's life is one of the most satisfying thing you can do.

21. Talk to your grandparents while you still can.

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Most of us realize too late what an awesome resource grandparents are. They can explain everything you'll ever wonder about where you came from, but only if you ask them in time.

22. Learn how to cook one awesome meal.

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Knowing one droolworthy meal will make all those dinner parties and celebrations that much more special.

23. Stop and take it in IRL, not just on Instagram.

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Young people are constantly on the go, but stopping to take it all in now and again is a good thing.

24. Finish what you start.

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"I had big dreams of becoming a nurse. I even signed up for the classes, but then..."

25. Don't let cultural expectations define you.

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Don't let them tell you, "We don't do that."

26. Play with your kids.

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When you're old, you'll realize your kid went from wanting to play with you to wanting you out of their room in the blink of an eye.

27. Learn to network.

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Networking may seem like a bunch of crap when you're young, but later on it becomes clear that it's how so many jobs are won.

28. Take a big risk (especially in love).

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Knowing that you took a leap of faith at least once — even if you fell flat on your face — will be a great comfort when you're old.

29. Believe in yourself.

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As Tom Petty sang, "Most things I worry about never happen anyway."

30. Make room for your dreams.

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Supporting others is a beautiful thing, but not if it means you never get to shine.

31. Be grateful for the journey.

NBC

It can be hard to see in the beginning, but eventually it becomes clear that every moment on this Earth — from the mundane to the amazing — is a gift that we're all so incredibly lucky to share.