A 20-year-old college student has taken to Reddit to seek advice about his perceived wasted youth. The student, with the Reddit username ultimate_death2, posted a story titled, “I just turned 20, and I feel like I’ve wasted my youth.” In his story, Original Poster (OP) revealed that he had missed out on many experiences due to fear. Redditors reacted to his story and advised him on what to do. Get more details below.
College Student Feels They Wasted Youth
OP started by clarifying that he knew he was still young. However, he had nothing to show for the years he had lived because of fear. The college student lamented his wasted youth as he never partied or took trips with friends. There were also no mistakes on his record to make him laugh. OP added of their wasted youth:
“I just went to school, did sports went home. That was it. I’ve only had girlfriend and it was a toxic 2 months shit show. I haven’t even lost my virginity. I just feel like I’ve done nothing with my life up to this moment and I am going to do nothing with my life going forward.”
OP also feared he would have to forgo his “dreams and aspirations” to face reality. Thus, his wasted youth would culminate in nothing but “50k in debt” and an uninspiring job. He concluded by saying:
“I don’t know man. Maybe I’m just tired.”
Other Redditors Share Their Thoughts
Several Redditors read OP’s story about his wasted youth and shared their thoughts. One Redditor, Greedy-Advisor223, advised OP to start working on turning his life around. The Redditor added that another 20 years would be gone instantly if OP didn’t do anything.
Another Redditor, Ywities, commiserated with OP and shared their experience. Ywities told OP they made mistakes in high school, including taking drugs and sneaking out of the house. However, they regretted much of what they did because it was influenced by peer pressure. The Redditor told OP not to worry about wasted youth; they could start having fun now. They also advised him not to be anxious about his career since choices always seemed to change. They concluded:
“You have so much time to experience things and luckily you saved yourself in the past from experiences that you would regret like most of us. With that being said, you’re 20. You’re going to be 21 someday, 22… 23… 24.. and so on. Life experiences don’t begin before high school. They start after.”
Another Redditor, WaylonGreyjoy, told OP they still had the time and resources to change things. WaylonGreyjoy advised OP to make a “comprehensive list of your goals in order of importance or significance.” Additionally, OP should determine the resources needed for each item. They added:
“You’ll make friends along the way, I promise. And you’ll do plenty of wild stuff with them.”
What to Do About Feelings of Wasted Youth
Your youth is a time to explore, go on adventures, and take risks. However, like OP, you may also regret wasted youth. Perhaps you think you wasted so much potential. You are not alone. Regret can be a blessing as it can signify that something is wrong. Consequently, you can turn your life around by making better decisions. Kendra Cherry, a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist and author of the “Everything Psychology Book,” says you need to accept yourself when you start regretting.
You should also forgive yourself. Let go of the bitterness and disappointment you feel towards yourself at your wasted youth. You can no longer change the past and must leave it behind. Then, take action using your time, energy, and resources. You shouldn’t just lament. Rather, start making changes to craft the future you want. Your wasted youth is gone, but you can still shape your future.
#Clique, have you ever experienced the feeling of wasted youth? What did you do to turn things around and feel good about yourself? Let us know in the comments.
