- Mitch Harrison
- Davison, MI
- United States
This conversation is closed. Start a new conversation
or join one »
What should I really do with my youth? I'm 18, and I want to really learn. Advice from any adults out there?
I am a senior in high school, just two weeks from graduation. If I end up going to college, I know that I definitely want to take a year or so off. I want to really learn things first hand. I want to see the world and study cultures and people. If anyone out there has been there and can reflect back, I would love to hear from you. What should I study? Where should I go? What should I really think about? I want to give the rest of my life a boost and give myself a solid foundation in my youth. Thank you in advance for your help.
Topics:
coming of age inspiring youth wisdom youth
Showing single comment thread. View the full conversation.
Showing single comment thread. View the full conversation.
Teja Tanchangya
I don't know if i can really call myself an adult, for I'm still 22 and going to graduate at the end of this year. But the question you have asked haunted me during the later part of my teenage and it still does. (Sorry for being biographical). Luckily or not, i grew up in a foreign country (in Sri Lanka) since I was 10 or 11 years of age. Before i turned 18 I already visited India, Macau and Hong Kong. At 18 I was a first year undergraduate and that is where i faced several inner conflicts. I realized that even some of my closest friends were in a similar situation. We were reading a lot, questioning the meaning of life, the idea of being young, of growing up, politics, society, of change and so on. We watched movies, wrote poems and articles to newspapers or posted them on websites. We not only fancied some the greatest philosophers and theory makers but also seemed as if we refuted them (I used to meditate also). But there were temptations of being young and they are still: going out, finding partners, finding a reliable job, hankering for appreciation, for love and so on.
Although i cant claim to have inner peace, i can at least say that the journey i and my friends made had convinced me that behind all our quests is the endless thirst for happiness. But, Mitch, I cant tell you to be me. You are you. But what i realized is to do well what we (love to) do and if we come to realize that what we are doing is not the right thing, then give it up. Giving up is not a problem; it's all about grasping or holding onto something. When we hold onto something - a job, wrist watch, hobby, etc - we suffer when we lose it. If we are convinced that happiness is what we want, we must also be convinced that true happiness is happiness within. For that we need mental stability and for mental stability we need understanding: understanding comes from learning from life. Learning from life is also accepting the vicissitudes of life. What is life?
Harsh Bardhan
I really appreciate your thought... Awesome explanation.... lot of greets from heart... Thank U for sharing..
Colleen Steen 500+
These are very wise words whatever your age:>)
There are challenges at any age, and I believe it is HOW we live the journey that is the important piece, as you so insightfully say in your comment:>)
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take; but by the moments that take our breath away".
I know I will still be exploring EVERYTHING about the life adventure with an open heart, open mind, unconditional love and the curiosity of a child, even while taking my last breath on this earth school:>)
In my life experiences, this is how I discover the magic in our world:>)
Teja Tanchangya
Thanks a lot for for your kind words and also for sharing your beautiful life adventure.
Sharing our thoughts and experiences itself involves living life. For me, creativity of life is where we generate happiness not only within our selves but also within others. Hopefully, we are of some help to Mitch! :D
Best Regards
Colleen Steen 500+
I believe it is in sharing the life adventure that we understand more about our interconnectedness, so I very much agree with you that "sharing our thoughts and experiences itself involves living life". For me also, it is with the creativity of life where we generate happiness within ourselves, and also with others:>)
This is a good example...we are two people...on different sides of our world, from different generations, and I feel very connected to you simply because of our comments...I LOVE it!