What is one thing you regret NOT doing in your 20s?

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Ok-Ear1243@reddit

Going backpacking, shagging that real fit coworker and saving

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Ok-Ear1243@reddit

Saving, shagging that really fit co-worker and travelling

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According_Dare7316@reddit

More international travelling. I would love to visit various parts of Asia such as Vietnam and Cambodia. But as a middle age white guy everyone would assume the worst.

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SplodgySplodge1@reddit

Shagging around a lot more. I was young, skinny and good looking, but too shy for my own good. Most girls figured I wasn't interested and gave up on me. Yes, I was that dumb and useless!

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I'm currently in my 20s and I've only ever been in long term loving commited relationships. I've never had casual sex and I would rather be with my current partner forever than have casual sex, but that doesn't mean I don't like the idea of having HAD done it in my past. I nearly did a couple times and turned it down in the end, so I think it's just my personality, I'm a bit of a prude I suppose

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EhDinnaeEvenKen@reddit

Prudish is a loaded term. Not being into casual sex isn't a bad thing, it's just different strokes for different folks.

I had a period of about 2 years in my mid 20's where I was single and a bit of a shagger, but in hindsight that period was easily the most empty I've felt, and I truthfully wish I hadn't done it.

In hindsight, I can see that I was stuck in a cycle of having casual sex, regretting it and feeling bad, but having more casual sex because "no strings sex is supposed to make guys happy", but always ended up back in the "why amn't I happy?" mindset.

I've since realised that sex outside of a relationship just isn't for me. It's a bit like having a posh wank in that it's cleaner and in some ways easier, but it doesn't hit even remotely the same.

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LoiusLepic@reddit

100%. Was in same situation. Had the chances but was too much of a bitch to do anything

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Odd-Paramedic-3826@reddit

honestly I think people get sluttier in their 30s and 40s, provided they're not commited already. Maturity and comfort in your own skin makes it easier and less dramatic to sleep around

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zoltan_g@reddit

Being so reserved near girls that I liked, missed some opportunities there.

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dissapointingsalad81@reddit

Same here, now I'm 27, no relationship experience and now I don't meet women on my day to day life where a relationship could naturally form

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Sea-Razzmatazz3418@reddit

im 22 just asked out the girl i liked for 2 years of being afraid and got rejected :) but im kinda free now and working in a sales job so i can meet more girls. excited for the future from this freedom

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GenGaara25@reddit

That's significantly better than holding onto it for 10 years and wondering what might've happened if you had just plucked up the courage to as her. By getting it out of the way you're never gonna have that regret.

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hhfugrr3@reddit

Yep, this was my first thought too.

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CrowApprehensive204@reddit

Seeking help for my mental health problems that stemmed from a massively over strict upbringing. Early 90's though so I don't think I would have received much help anyway, I just staggered on through life.

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dissapointingsalad81@reddit

Being too timid and shy around women and now I'm 27 and never had a gf. My time in university was a sausage fest and now I'm in work full time and no way of meeting women.

I feel like I missed the boat, and now I've missed out on an important experience of having a relationship when you're young.

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kbwe1@reddit

Saving bit of money, not going abroad more (not backpacking as that’s not my thing but maybe more holidays/studying or working abroad), not getting fit sooner.

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eggs_and_ham_i_am@reddit

Staying fit.

It's so much easier to remain fit then to get fit later.

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JayR_97@reddit

Its so much harder when you dont have that early 20s metabolism anymore

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Ok_Young1709@reddit

Yep. Now I'm in my 30s, trying to get fit and lose weight is a struggle with so many years of bad habits. And even when I do try and break them, I lose nothing. 😂 Why bother, eat the cake!

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Odd-Paramedic-3826@reddit

thats entirely the reason i got into resistance training. if you have a higher muscle mass you can get away with eating more because your body needs the calories to sustain it. im not giving up my gu cheesecake pots

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JayR_97@reddit

Staying in shape.

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wtflmfaoo@reddit

Pegging

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SenorTobias@reddit

I wish I would’ve come out but at the same time, I now have an amazing husband so who cares

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PootMcGroot@reddit

Using up the generous multi-year working holiday visas available, generally only available until 30.

I spent years in Australia and New Zealand and loved every second - I wish I'd done the same for Canada and the other options.

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Temporary-Medium3587@reddit

It’s 35 now I think!

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PootMcGroot@reddit

Well apply quickly then!

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Temporary-Medium3587@reddit

I regret not spending within my means. I’m literally paying for it now in my 30s - it’s a huge chunk of my pay that goes to it now.

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UnderstandingLow3162@reddit

Acid

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Crisps33@reddit

Never too late!

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PootMcGroot@reddit

I'd guess the bulk of acid users are old hippies... you still have plenty of time.

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maruchan21@reddit

Young people aren’t doing acid anymore?

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PootMcGroot@reddit

Young people are now non-drinking virgins on ketamine and coke.

The world has turned.

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maruchan21@reddit

I spend too much time mentally in California to understand this comment

Though the ketamine statement tracks

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UnrivalledPG@reddit

Opening and contributing heavily into a stock n shares ISA. I found out around 30.

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gregd303@reddit

Looks like I ticked most people's boxes. Travel, sex, study, living abroad (30, but I'll count that)...even acid. Probably savings are the only thing I didn't do. But happy with my 20's. Fun times, and now at 51, I'm glad I did it all when I had the energy!

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Early_Enthusiasm_787@reddit

Saving. Pissing it away in booze and drugs as soon as paid and then not having money to travel more or go places when mates invite you to trips sucks. It’s gives you so much more freedom to have a cushion on savings. Also makes life easier when you can afford things. Eg a car is cheaper than my railcard was per month.

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smash993@reddit

Interesting I wish I got pissed more and took drugs, sometimes I feel like I didn’t embrace my youth enough.

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Harry_Pol_Potter@reddit

Same. Grass is greener on the other side.

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Early_Enthusiasm_787@reddit

I mean it’s fun but when it’s all you are doing and for most of the month are struggling until payday or in overdraft then it sucks. Just saving a small bit and having flexibility helps do much with mental health too

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Sad-Peace@reddit

I wish I'd taken any opportunity to study abroad for a while. Gets harder when you have a secure job and you're settled living somewhere

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Monkeyboogaloo@reddit

Saving.

I had my highest level of disposable income in my life. And while I had a great time, £400 a month on black cabs was crazy, thats in 1990s money.

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Fine-Night-243@reddit

Been in a band. I'm a decent guitar player, can sing ok, write some songs. But I was just terrified of putting myself out there, even just jamming with others. I'm in my forties now and it'll never happen.

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happybaby00@reddit

Not taking more drugs when I was younger, now with responsibilities piling up, I missed out 😔

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Jolly-Avocado0@reddit

Contribute more to my pension, or just open one myself (this was before it was mandatory or employees to provide them).

Getting therapy- finally got help in my thirties, wish I'd done it sooner.

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Brilliant_Version344@reddit

Saving it took until the pandemic for me to build an emergency fund which is very poor of me

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SmartaHari@reddit

I wanted to shave all my hair off to see what it would look like but I chickened out.

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Reddit__user_@reddit

You did well not to.

It’s vastly overrated.

And it takes a long time to rectify.

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SmartaHari@reddit

I would have looked like a mushroom in the growing back stages!

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Reddit__user_@reddit

😆😆😆👍🏻

I looked like the Playdough barbershop 💈

It just grew straight up and out like uncooked spaghetti ☹️🤦🏻‍♂️

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SmartaHari@reddit

Oh no! Do you dive for cover when those family photo albums come out from that era in your life?!

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WindEconomy9242@reddit

Getting sober

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thatcuriousbichick@reddit

Staying in a relationship because of the sunk cost fallacy.

Granted I’m only 26 now but I’d been with him nearly 10 years and only left because he cheated. Should have left a long time before that

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Responsible-Ad-1086@reddit

Meeting my current wife

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Adam-West@reddit

Breaking up with my girlfriend when I knew the writing was on the wall. Don’t waste peoples time because you’re a wimp.

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iMac_Hunt@reddit

I wish I’d taken more risks. I felt like I wanted to sort my life out and have a stable job, but really it’s the time you should be exploring different avenues and taking calculated risks. I didn’t quite realise how young I was, and have the chance to start things over multiple times.

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crypticshoebill@reddit

Cutting off my toxic family, did it on my 30th birthday and my only regret is not doing it when I turned 20.

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Familiar-Candidate-7@reddit

Go to the damn doctors earlier and hassle them til they actually diagnose what I have. I went at 28 and got diagnosed at 39. I could have saved nearly 10 years

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ameliasophia@reddit

Hmm nothing really, I either did or tried to do all the things I wanted to do. I didn’t achieve some things but I know I tried my best.

Maybe that’ll change one day but I feel like I have all the things I wanted to have (my law degree, my house, my daughter) and I wouldn’t want to have done things differently and either not ended up with those things or not have learned the lessons that I’ve learned from my mistakes.

I know that sounds so lame.

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history_roadtrips@reddit

That's not lame! That's a good thing :) you're happy with your choices and no regrets. You should feel very proud 👏

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CookParticular6336@reddit

I wish I’d gone travelling before I got into the thick of life. Now with a mortgage, wrapped up in my career and thinking about kids in the next couple of years and I can’t imagine it happening before retirement now.

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hanwestwood@reddit

Living with as much delusional confidence as I do now in my 30s - life is so much more fun when you realise that no one actually reeeeaallllyyyy cares what you’re doing, how you’re dressed, how much you weigh etc as much as you think they do

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holytriplem@reddit

Please check your person-with-non-judgy-family privilege

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PootMcGroot@reddit

As someone said - people wouldn't worry about what other people think of them, if they realised how rarely they do.

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banana_bear_918@reddit

Buying property. Im 39 and just about to (hopefully) exchange on my first house. Its still very doable at the age I am now, I just wish I had gotten my act together in my 20s and got on the ladder then. I might be more financially stable if I had done that 🤷‍♀️

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history_roadtrips@reddit

Same. I just bought my first property at the age of 44. It's been a very long road and I wish I'd done it in my twenties as would prob be nearly paid off by now. However, life's a journey and all that, and I certainly appreciate what I have now. As a 20-something, I probably wouldn't have appreciated it.

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gerrineer@reddit

Moving to Spain I was 23 lived there for 17 years .back in blighty now.

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MathematicianSea563@reddit

Ditching my ex the minute he got controlling.

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AromaticVacation3077@reddit

Having more sex. (I was extremely shy and self conscious).

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confused_mani@reddit

I’ve 1.5 years left of being in my 20s so I have some time left. But mine would be not taking better care of my health - I’m now trying to change my lifestyle habits as my weight has creeped up and I have a family history of type 2 diabetes.

There’s also living independently away from my hometown. I’ve saved enough to be a homeowner with my husband (who also never moved out), I have way more in my pension and savings than most people my age, yet something about living alone always has me thinking “I wish I tried that”. Yes it would’ve been expensive, but perhaps I’d have learnt better coping strategies when life gets stressful, and built more friendships by reaching out more.

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AXX-100@reddit

Having therapy then

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maruchan21@reddit

🙏

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CaptainVigelius@reddit

Taking some shitty job for at least a year, to build some cash, sort my head out and incentivise getting uni right. Lost a parent between the A-Level years but just barreled on with life anyway and went straight into uni and then work - still trying to unfuck that error 18 years later.

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Cultural_Run7964@reddit

Investing my redundancy money in ISAs and property instead of spaffing it on travelling. I had a blast but should have set some money aside…😩

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Wild-Individual6876@reddit

So many people in this thread wished they went travelling 🤣

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AuroraDF@reddit

Staying single

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maruchan21@reddit

Eating more and doing a bit of weight bearing exercise tbh

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Wild-Individual6876@reddit

Not starting that online bookshop named after a river in south anerica

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Bustyy_B3lle@reddit

Going on enough holidays!

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WGD23@reddit

Yup, travelled a fair bit, but never lived abroad and I regret that

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ThisIsMyRedditAcct20@reddit

To be entirely honest: when I was younger I wish I had more courage to talk to the girls I fancied. I’m engaged now to the love of my life. All worked out OK.

It’s never too late. But I might have cut it close

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liseusester@reddit

I really wish I'd scrounged up the money to fly to the middle east and visit my best friend who was living in Syria. It was just pre-Arab Spring and she was living in Damascus. I had zero money because I was doing a PhD and just couldn't justify the debt at the time.

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FIREBIRDC9@reddit

Travelling more. I was single and thought i needed a partner to go with

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Strong-Wrangler-7809@reddit

Not moving away for uni was exactly what I wanted at the time but regretted as soon as I started working

I wish I’d have gone in the navy after uni also

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Kamila95@reddit

Accepting the best paid job offer rather than going with my interests. But who knows, maybe I'd have hated that job too, so I don't dwell on it.

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Ill_Refrigerator_593@reddit

Learning to dance well. I learnt later I was surprised how useful it can be.

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InkedDoll1@reddit

Exercising while I still could. I had major surgery for my hip dysplasia at age 22 and was on crutches/a wheelchair for 2 years, and I think I just came to think of myself as fragile. But in my late 20s I definitely could have got fitter and maybe stayed that way, wheress now I have severe arthritis and yoga is the most i can manage.

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Ill_Yogurt_4659@reddit

Committing to the many things I started

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Downtown-Orchid-2257@reddit

Travelling more. Although I would probably be in even more dent than I currently am 🫠

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coleslawontoast@reddit

Savings money

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DaveBeBad@reddit

I do wish I’d lived away for uni. It’s too late now, but a few years of city living would have been good to experience. Unfortunately, didn’t have enough money to pay rent and eat.

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Negative-Fondant1373@reddit

socialising more!

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GrabbedByTheGhost@reddit

Having a child.

Would have been so much better then.

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