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My Super Sweet 16

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
No, not that godawful MTV show.

We're having a discussion in TheSite Leaders' chat about what life was like for us at 16, and it seemed like a really interesting kind of topic to talk about here, too :).

I know it's not happened yet for some of you, and for others it was so long ago you can barely remember (;)), but for those of you that can answer:

What was life like for you at 16? How did it feel? What would you tell 16-year-old you if you could go back in time?

For me...16 was largely a non-event after 15 (which was a bit of a mess), but there were a few things I would change if I could. Because I'm a late birthday, 16 was my first year of college and as ysh will testify, the first year of my course was a bit of a wake-up call! Unfortunately they made me do a subject I had no aptitude in (Higher Level Chemistry - euuuuugh) so by the end of the year I had made the decision to start over. I'm glad I did that, because I would have failed otherwise and I ended up with a much better mark than I would have done if I'd carried on doing Chemistry (and Psychology, which I switched out for Philosophy).

If I could go back in time I would tell myself that not being good at something is ok, but not to bottle it up and pretend that everything is fine.
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Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If i could go back to 16 I would tell myself not to bother with people you dont regard as your best friends or even like. To not worry about what i come across as to other people and just enjoy my life with the people i love.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It's tough to think back to that time! It wasn't a great time for me, i had quite a few friends so that part was okay, but it was the beginning of a bad episode of depression and panic disorder that seemed to last without much of a break for the next 7/8 years or so. I'm a bit hazy on the details of those years. I don't think i would do anything differently, you just have to cope with what you are dealt with i think.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i would tell myself not to bother with the boys i was involved with at the time, promiscuous behaviour won't benefit you in the longterm and that spending so much time drunk would not be beneficial.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I would have spent more time being 16 and less pretending to be an adult.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I was a complete gobshite when I was 16 so I guess I would have told myself 3 things:
    "Life gets better"
    "Don't be afraid to say 'I am wrong'"
    "Stop being a gobshite"

    Oh and I should have given Lizzie a magic hug instead of saying no to look cool.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I can't remember that far back! Lol. Seriously, I'd have relaxed a bit more and I'd tell my past self to have a bit more confidence.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    The life before 16 was better than now. No worries about bill payments and no other worries to thought about. I really miss my college and school days.
    Weight Loss Arlington
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Don't worry about wanking too much, it never gets old.

    Take yourself less seriously.

    Knowing you're wrong is better than thinking you're right - don't sweat being wrong.

    JM is totally into you, dude. Sure, the first time is likely to be brief, embarrassing and rather uncoordinated, but she's a nice girl and, as you know, she's banging. Laugh it off and go again.

    Don't take Dr Dre's advice. Just at weekends is fine and will prolong your enjoyment.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Don't worry about wanking too much, it never gets old.

    Take yourself less seriously.

    Knowing you're wrong is better than thinking you're right - don't sweat being wrong.

    JM is totally into you, dude. Sure, the first time is likely to be brief, embarrassing and rather uncoordinated, but she's a nice girl and, as you know, she's banging. Laugh it off and go again.

    Don't take Dr Dre's advice. Just at weekends is fine and will prolong your enjoyment.

    I'm surprised you can remember that far back.

    *runs*
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm surprised you can remember that far back.

    *runs*

    Whereas for you, kiddo, the memories are worryingly clear.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Whereas for you, kiddo, the memories are worryingly clear.

    Just think! When I was 16 you were the same age as I am now :D
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Just think! When I was 16 you were the same age as I am now :D

    And let's not play the game when CCH was 16, Franki was...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    And let's not play the game when CCH was 16, Franki was...

    10 :D.

    It's ok, I'm sure MoK will turn up soon to make you feel young.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    That means when I turned 16 your were 9. :(
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    That means when I turned 16 your were 9. :(

    Yes, yes it does. :D
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    My 16th birthday was one I never wanted to see thanks to my fucked up employer who was trying to convince me that 16 year olds like having sex with men 47 years older.

    Then I quit without ever saying goodbye and started a new school shortly before. It was a bit of a change and I quite enjoyed that year as I thought I had found freedom from it all. But I was scared of men and pretty isolated.

    I don't miss being 16 tbh. At the time I wish I had been more eager to tell my parents about what happened so I wouldn't have had to suffer alone. When I finally broke down 2 years later they were more than happy to help me and support to the best of their abilities although I only told mom the truth about why I broke down when I was 23 years old.
  • plugitinplugitin Posts: 2,197 Boards Champion
    Life at 16 was a brief interlude from some other shitty stuff. I can't remember what I did for my birthday that year; but I actually had friends and I left high school... which was always going to be good! Back end of 16 was totally shit but I'd prefer to concentrate on the front end from about June-August.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I would thank my little 16 year old self for everything, she was great. I might tell her to hold her head up high, feel proud and be sure that she really was doing the right thing.

    When I was 16 I moved out of home, resisted pressure to have an abortion. I finished my GCSEs, got a job, saved up for all the stuff I'd need for my baby and my first car. I dumped my useless boyfriend. I gave birth and started a wonderful relationship with my daughter. Thank fuck I was a stubborn little try-hard, the decisions I made at 16 gave me the life I have now :D
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    There is no god.
    Choose a career in a field that isn't going to be changing beyond recognition every five years.
    Dude, seriously, you are not 100% straight.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    16 was a big year for me as my first love and I got together (again) on my 16th birthday. We went to the local manor house and gardens which were covered in snow and pretty much had the gardens to ourselves and were walking around and he asked me out and I said yes. It was all rather film-like romantic. We then spent over 2 years together.
    At the same time my parents had just separated the week before, which I'd pretty much guessed however they didn't confirm this until several weeks later. So I went through some rather large changes, I had to grow up very quickly as I was in a long distance relationship with someone 3 years my senior and was going through the mess that is divorce and coping with my parents suddenly acting like teenagers again whilst I acted like the adult. So I didn't really get to enjoy my 16th year as I was bogged down with my parents divorce and living in the next town from all my friends. I wouldn't go back to 16.
    If it hadn't been for my boyfriend I think I would have lost it!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Don't loose your virginity to Richard choose Paul instead as 20 years on you won't have talked to Richard in over 18 years whilst you and Paul will still be very close friends and he will also regret the person he lost it to as well. (i'm projecting slightly into the future at this point).

    Your not just pretending you are actually cool and the cool kids think so

    Other than that my 16th year wasn't bad but wasn't brilliant my boyfriends best friend got stabbed to death on a night out with my boyfriend which was pretty crap and i had to do my GCSE's whilst he and a lot of my friends were witnesses in a big trial thing which was not so good, but whilst very sad it was a learning experience - though possibly guilt tripped me into staying with the boyfriend for longer than i should have - but then that was a learning experience as well.....
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    katralla wrote: »
    I would thank my little 16 year old self for everything, she was great. I might tell her to hold her head up high, feel proud and be sure that she really was doing the right thing.

    When I was 16 I moved out of home, resisted pressure to have an abortion. I finished my GCSEs, got a job, saved up for all the stuff I'd need for my baby and my first car. I dumped my useless boyfriend. I gave birth and started a wonderful relationship with my daughter. Thank fuck I was a stubborn little try-hard, the decisions I made at 16 gave me the life I have now :D

    :thumb:wish i was as courageous as you at sixteen

    16 was weird for me, i dont remember much. my dad was ill but that was pretty much a constant. i think my parents were seperating and i moved house with my mum and brother. i hated school and always assumed something was wrong with me. i feel like i've changed now, lame example is if someone doesnt laugh at a joke i make now i think 'they just dont get my fantastic joke' whereas when i was sixteen i would have spent ages mulling over what a loser i am. glad things are on the up :) and the popular/chavvy girls who were mean to me back then for being 'frigid' are all fat munters now :) helps..
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I can't remember. It was, after all, 1986.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I can't remember. It was, after all, 1986.

    That was 2 years before I was even born :eek:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Well, I'm only 18 now, so of course I still remember it. lol.

    I don't actually remember my 16th Birthday, it was in Nov '08, but I really don't remember what I did for it, it wasn't anything special anyway. Probably just skipped school and got money.

    To me, being 16 was just another age and year to me. Never saw the big deal about "omg i'm turning 16 now". I was in year 11 so a lot of it was about working towards my GCSEs, surviving bullying and depression and a guy I had a huge crush on, lol. Oh and a lot of the summer was spent with me and my friends trying to protect ourselves from a sociopathic hacker, yeah, it was a strange period..

    At 18, I feel pretty much the same way as I did then, except maybe a little more insecure because I'm a so-called 'adult' now, but I don't feel like an adult nor have any responsibilities.. oh well.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    That was 2 years before I was even born :eek:

    The thing I remember most about those days is probably this
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    That was 2 years before I was even born :eek:

    I was 3 lol.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    the popular/chavvy girls who were mean to me back then for being 'frigid' are all fat munters now :) helps..

    Ha. Sames. Its cruel but always makes you feel better when you see one
  • Indrid ColdIndrid Cold Posts: 16,688 Skive's The Limit
    I don't remember that much. Or maybe I do, and I'm deluding myself that I don't.
    Miss_Riot wrote: »
    I would have spent more time being 16 and less pretending to be an adult.
    So true. Although I suspect I was "pretending to be an adult" in a different way than you did (because it was in a different way than everyone else I know).

    When I was 16... Let me remember. I was already a year past the "everyone hates me" phase and into the "no one actually likes me" phase. And I was right, but I was wrong that there was nothing I could do about it. So if I saw my 16-year-old self, what I'd tell him would be "Talk to them, you damned idiot, and some of them will like you. Do it now, before it's too late." I'd also tell him to be 16, like Riot said. But I'm not sure he'd listen, even if it came from the future him.

    I also lived in my own world, as they say. It was years later that I looked out and saw how the world actually was, so I was very judgemental about stuff I knew nothing about. I'm still judgemental about some of that stuff but I'd like to think that now I understand them better.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm only just seventeen, so it's all pretty much the same. I'm making the same mistakes as last year, but I think I'll probably look back and wish it'd been different in some way, maybe I'll wish that I wasn't such a twat to everybody and that I spent less time being high and more time revising for exams.
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