Navigating life for anyone, but especially for teenagers, can be super challenging. So it's always helpful when people older than you impart their wisdom to make your journey just a little bit easier.
And when redditor u/notViperX asked, "Adults of Reddit, what is something every teenager needs to know?" people filled the thread with tons of tips to help make life easier.
So here are just a few of the super helpful tips that redditors believe every teen needs to know!
1. "It's ok to say no to anyone. Don't let anyone in your life guilt trip you into doing something you don't want to do or are uncomfortable with."
2. "Don't put off dealing with mental health issues."
"Developing unhealthy coping mechanisms for emotional/mental issues will fuck you up big time down the road. If you have issues, deal with them head on, right away. It can take time but start the work now."
3. "When you make a mistake, own up to it."
4. "Don't be afraid to ask out that person you like."
"If you suffer from anxiety like myself, then at least try to work on it. I went through all my teenage years without even trying to talk to girls much at all, and now that I'm 19 and have the chance to look back, I 100% regret it."
5. "Learn to trust your gut when in strange situations."
6. "Just be yourself."
"Having friends is important, but don't act like other people just to fit in. You may not entirely know who you are yet, and by not being yourself, you're going to lose your true self in the mix. If you're lucky, it'll take many years and a lot of soul-searching even to bring back your uniqueness, and then clump that all together to learn who you truly are. I made this mistake and I'm 37 now. It took me 20 years to undo everything because in college and afterward, I was a chameleon changing my personality with each group of friends I was with. I had no idea who I was. It took a lot of work on my self-esteem to recorrect my thought process."
7. "The person you love at 17 may not be the person you love at 30."
8. "It doesn't matter what others think of you, just what you think of yourself."
"Live your life such that you can look at yourself in the mirror at the end of the day and be proud of what you’ve done."
9. "Appreciate what you have, especially if you don't have much."
10. "Stop caring about what random strangers think of you."
"When I started doing whatever the fuck I wanted in public with no regard to what anyone else thought, I was so much happier. Now, in my early twenties, I dance on the street when I am excited and go on playground swings, and talk endlessly about my passion for origami and rollerskating."
11. "Open a retirement/investment account to start saving for the future."
12. "Don't let anybody make you believe college is your only option."
"Skilled trades have huge advantages as well and make the same living. I was always told to go to college and was never introduced to the other side, so I had no idea I could go out and make $100K with no student loans, and I wouldn't have to go to classes for 4 to 8 years accruing huge amounts of debt."
13. "If you don't have a passion, learn new skills!"
14. "While you shouldn't believe those who say these are gonna be the best years of your life, try to make the most of it and enjoy the ride."
"Don't be ashamed of your hobbies and passions. Those who make fun of that can go fuck themselves."
15. And finally, "stay humble."
Is there any advice you think teens should know that they missed? If so, feel free to drop it in the comments below!
Note: Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity