What are your biggest early 20s regrets?

What are your biggest early 20s regrets?

Author
Discussion

A.J.M

7,894 posts

185 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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Shnozz said:
A.J.M said:
You still have age on your side, time to man up, sit down and actually see what you want, then do it.
That is what your thirties are for. Only with more wisdom and more money.
Coupled with likely more responsibilities. House, OH, etc.
20s can be when your young and dumb enough to try things that older you may think twice about.

JonnyxM

185 posts

132 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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DanielJames said:
Anyway on topic, been offered a new job today, same position but for our sister company. Quite a new company, and lots of exciting stuff going on with their growth. Might be the change I was looking for, will see! Also got invited to an interview for something else in Bradford - been quite an odd day on the job front. I don't fancy going near Bradford though mainly due to the horrible commute I'd have to endure.
If you don't take it let us know where we can apply wink

Shnozz

27,422 posts

270 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
A.J.M said:
Shnozz said:
A.J.M said:
You still have age on your side, time to man up, sit down and actually see what you want, then do it.
That is what your thirties are for. Only with more wisdom and more money.
Coupled with likely more responsibilities. House, OH, etc.
20s can be when your young and dumb enough to try things that older you may think twice about.
Perhaps that's another thread then. "How to avoid responsibilities into your thirties". My life mid-30s is little different to my 20s. Only with the benefit of learning from those regrets.

theboss

6,878 posts

218 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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Matt UK said:
What are your biggest early 20s regrets?

Having 'standards' when out on the pull.. hehe
Absolutely... When 20 I gained an anonymous admirer who sent lots of texts which turned filthy. I was convinced it was a wind-up but it turned out to be a good friend's mother who had recently divorced. Things developed to the point where she came around to my (empty) shared house one evening and made her intentions abundantly clear. I freaked, considered her far too old, panicked about what my mate would say if he found out, and swiftly ejected her from my house.

Even now my wife winds me up about it... ("you should have smashed her to pieces, etc etc")

V8 Fettler

7,019 posts

131 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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When you've had a couple of in_Scotch conversations with male friends who are nearing an early death, you realise there's only one thing that a heterosexual male truly regrets at the end: not shagging enough women.

pherlopolus

2,087 posts

157 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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thats true, not many people die wishing they had had less sex wink

Matt UK

17,649 posts

199 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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pherlopolus said:
thats true, not many people die wishing they had had less sex wink
Unless of course you are frantically scratching your balls, about to croak from contracting some exotic STD

MG CHRIS

9,077 posts

166 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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Well as im 22 will update this in 8 years to see if I ever regret anything. Atm though don't regret anything yet got my own unit which is fully equipped with tools ramp etc so I can work on my own cars and customer cars, strip them and got my kit car in there rebuilding the engine for next years.
My job isn't brilliant still in the same garage I done my apprentice but at the end of the day its money and until I get enough business up my unit will stay that way hopefully not for long.
At the age of 22 I be going in for my nat b race license next year to get involved in sprinting with the kit car hopefully.

Considering must people from my year are either still in uni buming around or just started there first ever job in happy where I am atm. I still live at home but that's the choice ive mad to have the unit over a house and considering that will be my future in not too distant time then life is good for me.

Corpulent Tosser

5,459 posts

244 months

Thursday 27th November 2014
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I haven't read through all the posts but I am sure there will be lots of good, and some not so good, advice.

What I will add is - It is better to look back and regret doing something than to look back and regret not doing something. I hope that makes sense.

There are actually few things I regret doing, more I regret not doing or regret not doing sooner.

thatdude

2,654 posts

126 months

Thursday 27th November 2014
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Deciding to do a PhD.

I should have just jumped on a graduate scheme and got myself into industry employment ASAP. I could be making good money right about now, instead I'm just starting out.


StuntmanMike

11,671 posts

150 months

Thursday 27th November 2014
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Nothing.
I did quite a bit in my 20's, some good some bad, I don't regret sod all, it's made me who I am today.

StuntmanMike

11,671 posts

150 months

Thursday 27th November 2014
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Corpulent Tosser said:
It is better to look back and regret doing something than to look back and regret not doing anything
Was that spoken by some profound person along time ago.
I say that because it's the opening lines of a Butthole Surfers song.

Axionknight

8,505 posts

134 months

Thursday 27th November 2014
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vikingaero said:
frown I hear your pain.

Early 20's and Sarah Bird, my friend with lots of benefits, announced that she was leaving to live in Australia with her family.

On the last night she offered to let me tap her one last time. Like an utter c0ck I said something like: "No, I respect you too much." Oh FFS! furiousfuriousfurious What a tw@t! Now if I moves (barely) I'd hump it! biggrin
Hand over the man card please!

Regrets? Well I'm 26 and in a fairly good place, but I spent ages 20 and 21 working away from home and ended up a drunk, and broke as fk, finally turned things around and didn't touch a single drop for a year - I do have the occasional drink now though, party

Hasbeen

2,073 posts

220 months

Thursday 27th November 2014
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I never did the wine women & song thing, there was always something I needed to save for. There always seemed to be girls around, even if I didn't take them out much.

I bought a cheap shack type house, the day after my 21St. Had to be 21 to get the loan.

Bought my new Morgan when I was 22.

Sold it to buy an aging F2 Brabham when I was 24.

Got to drive other peoples cars at 26, sold the house & Brabham, & bought an aging 40Ft yacht.

Lived on the yacht to save money, gave up racing, & at 30 got married, & sailed off for 6 years around the Pacific islands.

Got caught in a cyclone at 32. Frightened the lady so much she flew home to mother. I heard nothing more until after she divorced me.

Back in Oz I met a lady & at 40 started doing all the things others do much younger.

Now at 74 I have 3 kids, 2 grand kids, 3 of sports cars, an old stallion that was a daughters show jumper, & a much bigger house than I now need or want.

Effectively I retired at 30, then came back & worked the rest of my life. It is a damn good way of doing it. Most are too old to have the fun I've had after retirement.

Edited by Hasbeen on Thursday 27th November 12:34

Corpulent Tosser

5,459 posts

244 months

Thursday 27th November 2014
quotequote all
StuntmanMike said:
Corpulent Tosser said:
It is better to look back and regret doing something than to look back and regret not doing anything
Was that spoken by some profound person along time ago.
I say that because it's the opening lines of a Butthole Surfers song.
Very likely, it was said to me many years ago and while I have not always followed the advice I think it is good advice.

I must look for Butthole Surfers, but maybe not while I am at work wink

lukefreeman

1,492 posts

174 months

Thursday 27th November 2014
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lewisf182 said:
DanielJames said:
lewisf182 said:
£30k at 22? What are you complaining about lol. If the work life balance is good that sounds like a fantastic career.

Sounds like you need a slight change of scenery, a flat purchase/renting a place will provide something a bit different while not upsetting the nest too much I'da thought?

Sell both cars and buy something more special IMO. Give you something new to enjoy.

Haven't seen your Integra around sheffield, where is it you work?
I work at the BT building right in the centre mate. I commute at either 630am or 630pm though so maybe you wont see me, but keep an eye out!

I've only just got the DC5 - it's a very special car to me. On the car side of things I'm more than happy. Was just bloody fed up last night. I was having a good day until I failed at the gym doing squats (7th rep got the better of me and I went down with the bar)
Sorry, sounded like I was belittling your car there... Didn't know you had a DC5 either thought it was a DC2. I meant special as in a Lotus Elise kind of car, something which is only really practicable without kids unless you have loads of other cars etc.

Will keep an eye out! have moved to Leeds now though but I'm back now and then. You won't notice me as it just looks like a 1 series unless your viewing from behind.
Lol Lotus Elise's aren't "Special".........Not rare enough.

CountZero23

1,288 posts

177 months

Thursday 27th November 2014
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Started going out with a girl 5 years older than me with a couple of kids in last year of uni. My parents were a little worried. Should of spent those 3 years shagging about rather than in playgrounds.


P-Jay

10,551 posts

190 months

Thursday 27th November 2014
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I'm probably going to go against the grain here but I wish I was a bit more sensible.

I spent my 20's shagging drinking and taking drugs although I never picked up an addiction or a dose, it was more by luck than judgement.

I earned decent money and 90k in bonuses over 10 years, not exactly a king's ransom, but it's what a nice 3 bed house cost around here at the time and don't have anything but scars and a few tales to show for it. In fact on my 31st Birthday I owed almost a years salary to the banks.

I slept with about 40-50 women over ten years, not the sort of numbers that legends are made of, but I could name less then 10 of them and I have to admit one-nighters are about a fulfilling as having a wk.

I've got the odd funny tale to tell, but most of my mates own their home whilst I'm still renting, my one financial saving grace is a final salary pension, and that's only because I couldn't find a way to spend it.

I've owned some cool cars, but nothing worthy of note, and some st ones, I had a motorbike for a bit but it didn't do anything for me and I've been to a lot of places, but I barely remember any of them because I was drunk a lot of the time.

I know I supposed to sound all smug now and act like I've 'lead the life' whilst everyone just existed, but it really wasn't like that at all, mostly I was lonely, tired, stressed, paranoid, unfit and ill 90% of the time and the crazy times were really just moments of happiness simply because they made me forget about the rest of the time.

Happier in my 30's than I ever was in my 20's leading a 'boring' life spending time with my wife and kids.

so called

9,074 posts

208 months

Thursday 27th November 2014
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In my teens I regret how much I wasted on boozey weekends. Simply too much of the stuff.
I should have traveled more and seen more while I was young.
I remember one night ending up in a girls apartment, well the worse for drink.
Normally the memory would be a blur the next day but many years later, in the highest height of passion, I still hear her yell out through clenched teeth...."your better than your brother"!
Nothing like compliments to wash away regrets.

43034

2,963 posts

167 months

Thursday 27th November 2014
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so called said:
In my teens I regret how much I wasted on boozey weekends. Simply too much of the stuff.
I'm 20 and can't ever imagine myself ever saying that. They're bloody good fun drunkdrink