# Would you want to be 16 again? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 29, 2014, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-16-again/689540 "2014-05-29T04:49:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![PurpleClogs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f04885/32.png) [@PurpleClogs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurpleClogs)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-16-again/689540/41 "2014-05-29T16:10:42Z")
Hell yeah! My ass was awesome, boobs were firm, abs we’re tight, hair was thick, I was a cheerleader in a school I loved, with friends that were a blast, still learning about love, no bills, no knowledge of the evils of the world… It was great! ---
**Author:** ![claramorena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/2acd7d/32.png) [@claramorena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/claramorena)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-16-again/689540/42 "2014-05-29T16:12:15Z")
No. I am in much better shape now both mentally and physically. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-16-again/689540/43 "2014-05-29T16:19:02Z")
As the OP defines it, without any memories or experiences made since: How do we know we haven’t already done this? An infinite number of times? It would be like \*Groundhog Day, \*from everyone else’s point of view? ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-16-again/689540/44 "2014-05-29T16:30:16Z")
Absolutely not. In fact, there’s that Mellenkamp song “Jack and Diane” and when he starts singing about “hold onto sixteen as long as you can” I just can’t even remotely relate. 14-18 were such horrible years for me that if there was any truth at all to that song, I’d have been better off slashing my wrists or something. Now, perhaps if I could be sixteen and not have to spend it under my father’s roof, that might help a little bit. And perhaps if I’d been able to take college courses at 16 so I felt like school was about education and not about holding me back… But even so, I loathed that period of my life. I actually like younger kids (say up to 11 or 12) but can’t stand to be around teenagers. I felt the same way even when I was a teenager. I refused to go to the prom. Everyone said I’d regret it someday, and… nope, still don’t regret it. Adulthood may have its own burdens, but I kinda enjoy those challenge. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-16-again/689540/45 "2014-05-29T16:37:21Z")
I would love to go back to 16 if I could have my current memories - I could then smash the rest of high school out of the water with my m4d 1337 4k4d3?|/|1k 5k1llz, get into an Ivy League school, not struggle much in classes because I remember half the material from day one, have lots of fun, party more, have time to join a frat, good times. 4.0, here I come. Roll the dice? I’d rather not. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-16-again/689540/46 "2014-05-29T16:45:31Z")
Being 16 sucked but at least I had good health, a decent home, family and a future to look forward to. in my 50’s I have declining health that I must work at to maintain/improve; a home to pay on and maintain; many family members have long since passed away and I get to look forward to retiring with a reduced income or working until I drop, I’ll take 16 and a life of adventure to look forward to again. In a couple of years I’ll be back in college partying my ass off and I’ll get to be with Robin again. ---
**Author:** ![DChord568](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@DChord568](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DChord568)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-16-again/689540/47 "2014-05-29T16:50:05Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > The only reason I’d want to go back to being sixteen would be to change things I fucked up, so no. (Well, that and the music. Music was better in the 90s.) Change that to the 60s and it works for me. To clarify, I would never want to by 16 in this era. But overall 1968 was a pretty good year in my life. I wouldn’t mind revisiting it…but then again I wouldn’t want it to be permanent. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-16-again/689540/48 "2014-05-29T19:05:09Z")
Without having any memories or power to do things better, I’d say no. ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-16-again/689540/49 "2014-05-29T19:24:16Z")
One of the worst years in my life, so that’d be a Nope. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-16-again/689540/50 "2014-05-29T19:31:39Z")
I loved being 16. School was a breeze. I had lots of varied friends. What we did on weekends involved cars and alcohol though. I’m glad I made it through unscathed and wouldn’t want to risk another iteration. I might not be as fortunate next time. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-16-again/689540/51 "2014-05-29T19:36:42Z")
Oh hell no. If I could keep my memories…then maybe. I know I could end up filthy rich, but it would also mean never meeting my wife. I don’t think material riches could make up for that. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-16-again/689540/52 "2014-05-29T19:43:29Z")
In the intervening 40 years I’ve achieved about 20% of what my 16 year old self realistically expected to do. I’m happy enough now with how it all worked out this time, but also I’m still optimistic enough to want to roll those dice again if I could. Sure next time could be worse. But it could also be a bunch better. The major downside would be giving up the rest of my current life in exchange for that dice roll. That’d be a pretty mean thing to do to my this-time-around wife. All that’s taking the hypothetical as offered. If I could either have all my knowledge of the last 40 years & go back to my original 1974, or at least have a decent chunk of my current wisdom but start fresh in 2014 then it’d be kick-ass awesome. Sign me up in a heartbeat. Yes, it’d be weird & lonely to be that different from the other teen idiots. But I thought that the first time through too. Or was it the first time? Cue eerie music. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-16-again/689540/53 "2014-05-29T19:53:03Z")
In the senario presented? HELL NO! With memories, then I might. Either way, I would like the Camaro I had then back. I miss that car some days. ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-16-again/689540/54 "2014-05-29T20:19:27Z")
> [@Death\_of\_Rats](#): > > In the senario presented? HELL NO! > > With memories, then I might. > > Either way, I would like the Camaro I had then back. I miss that car some days. Another disincentive for me - I’m riding the same motorcycle now I had then! 🙂 and without my memories, my first car would be a Vega again. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-16-again/689540/55 "2014-05-29T20:50:06Z")
No way. If there’s a hell, repeating my teens and most of my twenties would be it. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-16-again/689540/56 "2014-05-29T23:04:03Z")
Since if 16 wasn’t the worst time of my life it was pretty close to it, no way. I wouldn’t even go back with my memories intact, since my worst decisions were made either before or after that age. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-16-again/689540/57 "2014-05-29T23:21:23Z")
Dependent on my parents again? No way. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-16-again/689540/58 "2014-05-30T00:29:44Z")
No. Because I’d be around _other_ 16 year olds. Who stink as company. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-16-again/689540/59 "2014-05-30T01:00:35Z")
Not no but hell no. I am 40 now. I didn’t dislike my later teenage years but they weren’t carefree either. I liked my mid-twenties the best out of all of them but that was in the 90’s when things were easy and the money flowed freely. The fun was also very fleeting and deceptive in the same in the same way that people would have rated the Titanic a 5 star cruise just before it hit the iceberg. 30’s - worst decade ever. I have no idea why nature and society thinks it is a good idea to force you into doing everything of long-term importance into a single decade (more like the first 3 years of it) but I am not for that at all. My 30’s almost broke and killed me to put things mildly. I love being 40. Health still isn’t a big concern, I hang out with old people or young ones if I choose, people respect my work based on nothing but the fact that I look like I know what I am doing whether I really do or not and the kids can finally dress themselves and won’t get killed if I need to leave them alone for more than 5 minutes. I don’t have to worry about money anymore and I can finally truly start to think about what I really want rather than just reacting to the problem of the hour. That is what you call a sweet deal. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-16-again/689540/60 "2014-05-30T01:14:27Z")
What’s more emphatic than no? What’s more emphatic than hell no? What’s more emphatic than fuck no? How about fuckety-fuck times infinity plus one no! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-16-again/689540.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-16-again/689540.md?page=4)