I love reddit.com. They are a great community of people from all around the world, and when I saw this post today and then the subsequent comment I felt that more people should see it.

It started with a question from a 14 year old that red: “I was wondering if some of the older or wiser members of reddit would care to lend some advice. It could be about anything really. Just some tips or advice you’ve learned over the years. Thanks!”

The following comment, by Warlizard, just inspired me and I felt that I just had to post it here:

1. Make decisions based on what YOU want to do, not on what other people want. Following the crowd is easier, no doubt, but you won’t be happy.
2. Don’t ever close any doors through laziness. Sure, school is a pain, but you don’t want to limit your options by screwing around. Be excellent, try your best, and if you choose to go to college or not, know that it’s YOUR choice, not one foisted on you by poor decisions.
3. Try everything. You’re at a point in your life where the world is open to you. Just because you haven’t done something doesn’t mean you won’t like it and it can’t provide you with a lifetime of satisfaction.
4. Be kind to everyone. It’s easy to get approval by picking on those weaker than you. Avoid that temptation. Everyone deserves your regard.
5. Forgive your friends when they wrong you. They will. It’s part of life.
6. Don’t do drugs until you’re old enough to do it responsibly. The consequences of getting caught aren’t worth the momentary pleasure.
7. Wear a condom. Dear god, wear a condom.
8. Be kind to your parents. Odds are they love you and want what’s best for you. Alienating them will hurt them and those scars will last for decades (personal experience here).
9. If someone asks you out on a date, go. You never know.
10. Read. Everything. Get a list of the top 100 books and slog through it. Yeah, everything won’t make sense but you’ll understand the world so much better. Everywhere in our culture people allude to things that you just won’t understand if you haven’t forced yourself to become well-read.
11. Take every opportunity to travel. Seriously. The world is huge and you want to lose your provincial view as early as possible.
12. Get involved in politics. You may as well get disillusioned early.
13. Masturbation is fun and free.
14. Go easy on porn. You don’t want your expectations to be that your girlfriend is going to go ass-to-mouth and then let you blow a load all over her mom’s face.
15. Stay in shape. It’s so easy now and it will last your life.
16. Don’t smoke.
17. Learn a foreign language.
18. Don’t be contemptuous of those who know less than you.
19. Take every opportunity to tell your family you love them.
20. Learn to cook. This will get you laid.
21. Save your money for things that are important, not things that give you momentary satisfaction.

“Hope this helps.”

You can see the original post here: http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/isezb/advice_for_a_14_year_old/