With age comes wisdom. The Reddit family proves it.

A Reddit thread asked people over the age of 30 to share the most important thing people in their 20s should do.

If you're a young whipper-snapper, you may brush all this sage advice aside as the ramblings of an older generation who's too far removed from what's going on in the world to understand what today's 20-something generation has to do not only thrive, but survive.

Perhaps lesson number one, then, should be to listen to your elders because they have good insight. They've been there, done that and overcome it. Heck, they've even figured out this cockeyed newfangled invention called the Internet to share their experiences on this Reddit thing. So, they must be some sort of smart, right?

Take a look at some of the sage words below (note the NSFW language).

  • Exercise and take care of your body. Seriously.
  • Realise that just as your worldview has been informed by your experiences, so has everyone elses worldview. And not everybody has shared the experiences you have. That's why we have different opinions.
  • Be a good person, you'll be remembered for it. Many of your friends are on equal employment levels now, but it won't be long before some rise and be in positions to level you up. Don't go in debt, being frugal will be more beneficial to you in the long run than short term splurging.
  • Do whatever you can to build and maintain good credit. Save money for emergencies. Don't overextend yourself with credit cards.
    Save for retirement (adding this because so many people mentioned it).
    Exercise regularly. Eat healthier.
    Cut out the negative people in your life.
    Don't talk shit behind your friends' backs. If you don't like someone, that's fine. Be the bigger person.
    If you can't forgive or forget, at least move on. Holding onto shit just bogs you down. Is it really worth the energy?
    Get your oil changed regularly. Check your tires. Keep your car clean. Make sure you have windshield washer fluid.
    Keep your apartment/home/living space clean enough so that if someone texts that they're swinging by, you can give it a quick 10-minute once over and have it not look like a shithole.
    If you like someone, like, like them like them, just ask them out. Don't pine. If they have a SO, move on. If they say no, move on. Grand romantic gestures are only effective with someone who is already into you.
    Don't beat yourself up too much for your mistakes (everyone fucks up), but learn from them.
    Tell the people that you care about that you care about them.
  • Save your money. I look back now at 30 and wish i hadnt blown so much on stupid stuff
  • Lift with your legs, not with your back. You'll miss that when it's gone.
    Make more friends than you think you'll ever need while you have steady access to them. Its hard when you get older and you never know when the ones you have will flake.
    Take care of your teeth.
    Do what's right for you, even if it's the hard choice. Yes you need to help who you can, but not if it costs you more than you can spare.
    Remember you can sheer a sheep many times, but you can only skin it once.
    *Cont.
    Ask those older than you for their stories, some are amazing, some are bullshit, but knowing the difference will serve you better in life than you could ever know.
    Write, even if you're a terrible writer, use it as a means to flush the cache from your head.
  • Honestly, I wish I hadn’t taken so much advice from older people and I just went ahead and made all my own mistakes. The older you get the more people expect you not to make mistakes, so enjoy the freedom and stop trying to be 100% prepared for everything.
  • Call your mom!
  • Travel! Go places. Meet people. Push the boundaries of your own knowledge. Everything you think you know is a lie.

More From Q92