Advice I Would Give Myself at Eighteen...

Albert Anker [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

My daughter is 18 now.  Which makes me...older than the hills.
I'm kind of amazed at how fast it went by.  In fact, I was just 18 last week, I think.
Thankfully, she is brighter than I was, and doesn't need a whole lot of guidance.  If I could go back in time and give advice to myself at 18, what would I say?
Something like this:

1.   Spend a whole lot of time with your brother.  You have no idea how much he means to you.
2.   Quit worrying about everything.  When you are 44, you won't even remember what it was that you worried about, but you will sure remember making yourself sick with worry.
3.   Other people do not have the ability to make more valid judgments of you, than you do yourself.
4.   Start saving money early.
5.   Your GPA is not going to matter once you finish grad school.  Quit living in fear of getting a "B".
6.   Be careful not to accidently close dogs inside bedrooms.  Otherwise, you're going to have holes in a carpet or two.
7.   Most people aren't judging you, and those who are don't matter.
8.   Throw a load of clothes in the washer every day.
9.    Live below your means.
10.  Learn early to check for your keys before you lock your car.
11.  You'd better start learning to stop taking everything so seriously and enjoy yourself, before you run out of time to stop taking everything so seriously and enjoy yourself.
12.  Planning to work for "just a year" takes about 30 years.
13.  Do NOT use credit cards.
14.  Wear really good stockings.
15.  Other people's houses only look that clean when folks like you are coming to visit.
16.  You do not have to be in control of everything.
17.  Pay the DMV bill when it comes because they send it way too early and you're gonna forget about it.
18.  Go ahead and file your income taxes at the last minute.  Driving to the Van Nuys post office with your husband at midnight all those years will actually be kinda fun.
19.  Don't use much heat on your hair, and give it a good dose of olive oil, honey, and egg every once in awhile.
20.  Those women who seem to have it all together, don't really have it ALL together.
21.  You're going to be glad you took that typing class in tenth grade.  You have no idea what is coming on the technological horizon.
22.  Hang on to one of those rotary phones.  Your daughter is gonna think it is cool.
23.  Go to church every single Sunday.  Habits are easier to acquire, than to re-acquire.
24.  Eat breakfast.
25.  Trust your instincts about people.  They are usually correct.
26.  Keep your nails done.
27.  Don't be hesitant about having standards that are higher than those of the people around you.
28.  DO be hesistant to frequently have people around you whose standards are lower than yours.
29.  Stay hydrated.
30.  Don't panic when cops pulls you over.  In twenty or thirty years, you are going to realize that they are just kids.
31.  Almost nothing is ever as bad as it seems.
32.  Take a deep breath.  Keep calm.  Keep moving forward.
33.  Enjoy yourself along the way.