# You can relay a single 140 character message to your 16-year-old self. What do you say? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 23, 2017, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-relay-a-single-140-character-message-to-your-16-year-old-self-what-do-you-say/785065 "2017-04-23T13:45:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-relay-a-single-140-character-message-to-your-16-year-old-self-what-do-you-say/785065/61 "2017-04-24T13:33:56Z")
You’re prettier than you think. Also stupider. Get an education, for god’s sake. P.S. - There is no god. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-relay-a-single-140-character-message-to-your-16-year-old-self-what-do-you-say/785065/62 "2017-04-24T15:07:35Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > You’re prettier than you think. Also stupider. Get an education, for god’s sake. P.S. - There is no god. The winner, so far. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-relay-a-single-140-character-message-to-your-16-year-old-self-what-do-you-say/785065/63 "2017-04-24T15:29:40Z")
Darth Vader is Luke’s father. Leia is his sister. Stupid, right? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-relay-a-single-140-character-message-to-your-16-year-old-self-what-do-you-say/785065/64 "2017-04-24T15:49:43Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > The only thing I would tell myself that is different from what I have done is “Learn fluency in a second language”. But age 16 is too late to start doing that. The only thing in my life that I regret not having done. No it isn’t, I am native-level in Catalan having started speaking it at age 19 (although I had been exposed to it my whole life), and apparently more fluent than I feel in French even though I didn’t start on it until my 30s. The only time that’s too late to start learning something is after you’ve died. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-relay-a-single-140-character-message-to-your-16-year-old-self-what-do-you-say/785065/65 "2017-04-24T15:52:59Z")
1. Buy Apple and Google. 2. Hold. 3. Proft! No, really!!! ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-relay-a-single-140-character-message-to-your-16-year-old-self-what-do-you-say/785065/66 "2017-04-24T16:29:55Z")
Credit card debt will cause terrible suffering. Go to school in Toronto, get into standup comedy. Work harder. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-relay-a-single-140-character-message-to-your-16-year-old-self-what-do-you-say/785065/67 "2017-04-24T16:44:51Z")
Move out of Florida ASAP. Look up XXXX. This person will stand by you forever. Don’t make work your sole identity. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-relay-a-single-140-character-message-to-your-16-year-old-self-what-do-you-say/785065/68 "2017-04-24T17:11:08Z")
"You have a condition called ADD, research it and learn coping skills. Ask Beth out, seriously. Don’t smoke. Get C’s and be happy ” ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-relay-a-single-140-character-message-to-your-16-year-old-self-what-do-you-say/785065/69 "2017-04-24T17:22:10Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > You’re prettier than you think. Also stupider. Get an education, for god’s sake. P.S. - There is no god. Can you send this to me as well? Though I got the BA degree, I didn’t continue on and just accepted it. So now I"m doing a Master’s at age 47. I’ll be 112 by the time I finish. ---
**Author:** ![Tapiotar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3be4f8/32.png) [@Tapiotar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapiotar)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-relay-a-single-140-character-message-to-your-16-year-old-self-what-do-you-say/785065/70 "2017-04-24T18:45:59Z")
Do more math & science. Don’t marry x or sleep with y or z, do take up Aikido early, write write write write. You are better than you think. ---
**Author:** ![Scougs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scougs/32/3158_2.png) [@Scougs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scougs)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-relay-a-single-140-character-message-to-your-16-year-old-self-what-do-you-say/785065/71 "2017-04-24T18:48:12Z")
Just eat healthily - you’re not fat. Don’t invest emotionally in a bloke you meet in the next summer holidays. When you can, buy to let. ---
**Author:** ![Gus\_Gusterson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@Gus\_Gusterson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gus_Gusterson)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-relay-a-single-140-character-message-to-your-16-year-old-self-what-do-you-say/785065/72 "2017-04-24T19:29:43Z")
“You’re depressed. Seek help. Girls like you. Talk to them and they will have sex with you. Wear a rubber every time. Don’t be afraid to buy stocks that you believe in.” ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-relay-a-single-140-character-message-to-your-16-year-old-self-what-do-you-say/785065/73 "2017-04-24T19:53:13Z")
Being a comedy writer is a thing, go and do that. ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-relay-a-single-140-character-message-to-your-16-year-old-self-what-do-you-say/785065/74 "2017-04-24T20:17:31Z")
Hey kid, we can send messages from the future now, how cool is that! Can’t help you though, temporal prime directive, you know how that is. Good luck ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-relay-a-single-140-character-message-to-your-16-year-old-self-what-do-you-say/785065/75 "2017-04-24T20:19:49Z")
> [@tim314](#): > > Hey kid, we can send messages from the future now, how cool is that! Can’t help you though, temporal prime directive, you know how that is. Good luck Honestly, I think I would choose something like this over some life-changing advice. What if the advice changes things so I never meet my wife, never have my kids. Can’t risk it. ---
**Author:** ![Marlonius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@Marlonius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlonius)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-relay-a-single-140-character-message-to-your-16-year-old-self-what-do-you-say/785065/76 "2017-04-24T20:22:47Z")
“Floss”. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-relay-a-single-140-character-message-to-your-16-year-old-self-what-do-you-say/785065/77 "2017-04-24T21:00:53Z")
“Take a year off after you graduate. You’re not ready for college yet.” ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-relay-a-single-140-character-message-to-your-16-year-old-self-what-do-you-say/785065/78 "2017-04-24T21:37:14Z")
> [@Marlonius](#): > > “Floss”. Well, honestly, after a few (minor) skin cancers, maybe I should add “Wear sunscreen!”. (Not the whole “Wear sunscreen” speech, though.) ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-relay-a-single-140-character-message-to-your-16-year-old-self-what-do-you-say/785065/79 "2017-04-24T21:38:17Z")
Go ahead and marry at 20. He IS the one. Adopt a child or two. Keep the stocks you inherit, they are solid. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-relay-a-single-140-character-message-to-your-16-year-old-self-what-do-you-say/785065/80 "2017-04-24T22:17:34Z")
Including spaces, 138: “You will be a girl someday.Learn fencing.Study IT/networking in college.Invest in Apple.Join the SDMB in 2000.Marry Fierra.Believe in you.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-relay-a-single-140-character-message-to-your-16-year-old-self-what-do-you-say/785065.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-relay-a-single-140-character-message-to-your-16-year-old-self-what-do-you-say/785065.md?page=5)