If I had all the knowledge that I have now when I was 18, I would have invested more in the stock market. Why? Compound interest. Plus the knowledge of how the stock will trend over the next 50 years. I didn’t start investing until I was 30. The earlier the better.

Of course no one knows how the stock market will preform in the future. But it’s a gamble worth taking using a conservative approach (dollar cost averaging and staying the course).

I wouldn’t have started smoking. The “why” is self explanatory.

I’d focus more on my creative work, on making and keeping up good friendships with good people, and on my self-knowledge and integrity in romantic relationships (i.e. understanding myself better, and not falling into co-dependent relationships).

This is a tricky question. I wanted to come out in my late teens, but there simply was no support at that time and in the place I lived. Plus, my parents would have kicked me out of the house. My only option then would have been hustling. I would certainly have died when the AIDS crisis was at its worst.

Not changing much, I’d take advantage of a couple of opportunities to date girls I missed out on. One in particular.

I would have asked her.

I would have taken grade 12 physics again and again until I passed it and the same for grade 12 chemistry (while they where $14 a course). Or would have finished my highschool at Jasper National park and worked weekends at the hotel.

Maybe I’d go professional musician.

I would had made my boyfriend wait longer before sex and marriage.
I was at a point of thinking of travelling Europe since my older sister had saved and gone on a nice trip with her friend.
Plans then were in the “possiblity” stages when I was trying to figure out a plan to finance a place of my own, a good paying job,travel, then LATER settling down.
All of that got trashed when boyfriend just couln’t wait!

And to think that now he blames ME ( divorced with 3 children and so much chaos and disruption because of it.
Only good part was having three children that gave hope and meaning to my lonely life then.

Nothing

Not a damned thing!

I would never have reported my abusive ex to the police.

Too much pain of reliving for nothing, and he gets out in 6 months and I’m probably dead.

I am 75 now and I would change virtually everything if I were 18 again.

I have messed up my life when I could have been virtually anything I wanted. I did want to be a writer, but I was too eager to earn money so despite my being asked to stay on at school I left and although I have had a reasonable life7 St Andrew’s Rd, Exeter EX4 2AA I have made a myriad mistakes.

Of course, the only person OI can blame is myself

I’m pretty content. Changing anything would change who I am and where I am. And even things I didn’t like in my life (my ex for example) I can’t say I’d change that. She was a horrible, horrible woman…lots of mental issues that developed. But I ended up with three wonderful children I wouldn’t trade for the world.