What would your 16 y.o. self think of you now?

Some of us are a lot closer to 16 than others, but perhaps it's in interesting experiment anyway. One thing that interests me is what I will be like the future - who will I be, will I change, what will I value. I also try to inform my decisions now based upon what I might look back and think of myself at, say, the age of sixty. Older people do have more knowledge and insight, usually...

Anyway, the reverse of that is thinking back to myself as a teenager and wondering what I would think of myself now. As a young person, everything is ahead of you - all of life's opportunities and wonderment. You look at (some) adults and think they're cool, pick and choose what you think your life should be like.

A little way down that path (I'm 24), I find it interesting to step back and perceive myself now from my point of view as a sixteen year old. Am I the way that I thought I should and would be?

For me, I'm probably similar to what I hoped for. Maybe a bit more mellow and probably a bit more academic. I think I would be proud of my achievements and work, but would have hoped I had taken more risks, perhaps. Some thing that have carried through from my teenage years to now, and which very much inform my life, are the ideas of honesty, integrity and truth. Being true to myself. I think that I would be happy to know that I'm striving for and, in a way, succeeding at those things.

I probably would have wanted myself to be more inspirational and revolutionary - but that is just usual youth type things. Generally, I don't think we would be close, because I am intolerant now of the type of people that I was like (stupid, kid stuff). And my sixteen year old self would have seen through that.

Maybe it's useful to look at this, to re-evaluate where I'm going. Just because I was sixteen when I had dreams, doesn't mean they're useless. Maybe I could be a little more reckless, and make some bold changes in my life and "seize the day" some more...

Anyway - what would your sixteen (or other age) year old self think of you now?

 

I'd think of my older self the same as my 16 year old self. I'm pretty much the same as I was when I was 16, the laid back one. Didn't like attention back in 11th grade, and I don't like attention now. I was slightly more energetic(basically no energy still) back in 11th grade, but not only in my theatre arts class. I was stupider back then, but for the most part, I'm the same. Same shit makes me laugh. I like the same shit as I did when I was in 11th grade. Don't know if I'd change anything. Probably get into anime at a younger age and beatmaking at 16, rather than 17. I'd wouldn't do some stuff though that I did when I was 16, mainly because I don't want some shit like vandalism on my record.

 

For me, as well - Im pretty much the same person as I was at 16 - I left home at 15 and lived on my own so I became an adult very quickly - that, however fed some insecurities - and what I would tell my 16 yo self - is to spend less time worrying about what other people will think and spend more time doing what I thought was right. or cool or whatever
I also think the biggest regrets is not all the stupid shit I've pulled (It made me who I am but rather the things I did NOT do.... (like you said, seize the day)
Good thread!!!!

 

My 16 year old self would be wondering why I don't have my PhD in Archaeology and working on a dig in Egypt....

 

My 16 y.o. self will be thinking that he's came a long way from dealing with the stupidity and ignorance to emerging into big things. He'll be proud now.

 

my 16 year old self would be happy that i am a better mom to my son than my own mother ever was to me...

 

My 16yr old self would say to me: "You turned out to be a lot like Dad"

 

My 16 year old self would probably wonder how the hell I lost all that weight, gained muscle and have a girlfriend

 

Wow.:smt042

 

When I was 16, my focus was on martial arts and anime... Being that I still do those 2 things, my 16 year old self would be pleased.

 

He would look on me in disgust

 

I think my 16 year old self would be very disappointed.

 

My 16 year old self would say "What in the FUCK?! F'real??? You're in Houston going to art school?! And you're datin' black guys??? Thas what I'm talkin' bout! You go girl!!!!"

 

My 16 yrs old self would think: "Wow, you are a bellydancer! But... man, you should lose weight. And u gave up on dating black guys? You suck" LOL

 

Say it isn't so, Shawty!

 

Well since my graffiti name was IZ at that time
I think IZ would have a mixture of emotions

Disappointed
Astonished
Surprised
Inquisitive

 

well, I thought to gave a last chance to black men by acceptin to meet a man... that didn't show up.
Do black men have some genetic mutation when it comes to be honest and not to be cowards?
I'm done.

Sorry, I'm bitter tonight. Probably it's my back ache.

 

Are you sure you don't mean Black ache.

 

ah ha! always great, francie.

 

Do you want me to call someone in Vicenza or Camp Darby and set you up with an upstanding Black American Gentleman?