I’m 19 right now, and sometimes I feel like I’m behind compared to other people my age, even though I know I still have a lot of time. For those of you who are older: if you could go back to 19 with everything you know now, what would you do differently? What would you start doing earlier, stop worrying about, or take more seriously? I’m genuinely curious what advice you’d give your 19-year-old self.

When I was around 13, I had to leave public schooling because of the rapid development of crippling anxiety that happened my last year in elementary. I never returned to public school and now that i want to go to college it haunts me. I know it's mainly made up (or hopefully made up) this idea of a idealistic teen friendship and romance, but I can shake it. I'm already going to be 22 at least before heading to college, but it's killing me. Every time I hear about high school it sends a shiver down my spine.

It's embarrassing how many things trigger it to a point where most media surrounding coming of age sends me in a spin. I don't want to feel this way anymore. I want to be able to live outside my regret and self-hatred. I don't know if I'm looking for a affirmation like high school wouldn't of made me a normal person without the dread, but i need something because its just silent right now and its driving me nuts.

building something at balansedapp.com, wanted to share why

every time i get bored or stressed i open some app and buy stuff i don’t need. small amounts, but it adds up fast. checked last month’s spending and it was way more than i thought

spending apps are built to feel instant and rewarding. saving mostly just feels like a chore. trying to flip that — same instant feedback, streaks, but pointed at saving instead

still early, testing with a waitlist. curious if this resonates with anyone else

Single men to fathers you all think what happens I. Vagas stays in vagas

This is my first time posting here, or posting on Reddit in like 5 years (I'm 20 now). Kinda sad to leave r/teenagers haha, but this seemed like smth similar.

I can't write anything sufficient to express what I've felt and experienced these past few years (a few breakups, finished Highschool, served a religious 2 year mission abroad, and now a couple weeks from starting college in a new state). I always used to post memes on various subreddits, and used to spend unhealthy amounts of time reading posts from all over, and commenting haha. I say unhealthy, and it was for me, but I value the feeling of community I got during that time, starting around when I moved to a different state with no siblings at home, no family other than my parents multiple states around, and having no friends in person, right before starting 8th grade.

I'll be blunt. I've had 2 exes that I really grew attached to whilst dating, and it wasn't until breaking up with my most recent ex (one of those 2) that I started noticing different things that reminded me of the 2 in a way that make me wonder if I'll get that same kind of bond again. Ik there's many fish in the sea, and I'm about to start college, so there's lots of opportunities there for dating. But right now, until I'm in a place I can start dating, I'm living with the reminders, without any current out. Just feeling it.

Actually played Undertale for the first time the other day, finished this morning, but it's the first game in a while I've played that caught and melted my heart a bit at times. But now I want a hug, from someone who's shoulder I feel comfortable crying on, more than anything. Video games don't sound as fun, and I'm too transitional with moving to dive into things I wanna do more of like drumming, oil painting (my parents' new place rn doesn't have a good place for painting), or forging (hoping to save up to get myself a portable forge in college). Every time I get frustrated with my lack of fun-sounding hobbies, I go "I don't wanna play video games, I want a hug" half-jokingly. Ik this'll sound very whiney, and 1st-world problems-ish, cuz it is. But this is what's been on my mind. I know not to just focus on finding a partner, I'm determined to enjoy being single in college, but it's just hard in this transitional phase rn, right before college. I'll survive, I'm just in my feels. And I like to be in my feels whenever the chance comes, tbh.

So yeah. Weird rant. Here you go 🦅🦅🦅

We forget that sometimes what happens to us can be out of our control and us being humans wants to control every outcome

I tried to end my life August 19th @ 8pm. I ended up going to the ER and being sent to a psychiatric ward for 5 days. During my stay they put me on Lithium and Trazodone. Ever since I got out last Monday, Ive been feeling off. Like Im in the back seat and my body is the car. Still nothing brings me joy but nothing makes me sad anymore? And during this time school had started but I’ve missed the first week cuz i couldn’t bring myself to get out of bed. I just want to know whats going on with me? Is it my meds? Will this pass? I want to feel normal again. Any advice helps thanks.

I’m 23F , I graduated college in 2025 from a accredited university. Right after school I hopped to corporate life in healthcare tech sales. I moved to Chicago and have been here for over a year, I really don’t like the city. I have lots to be grateful for but I just feel drained. Corporate is bs and all made up, I’m so bored everyday. I want OUT of the city and this job, but it pays well with benefits. Imagining 45 more years of this makes me sick, I need to get out of this. However idk what to do as I’m barely passionate about anything. And what I am passionate about doesn’t pay well. Any positive tips and advice are much appreciated thanks :-)

Hey, my name is Zeke. I’m located in Argyle, Tx, I’m 18, and I’m looking for people to go out and shoot photos with somewhere locally. Looking for people who are around my age who wanna go walk around somewhere of our choosing and get some sick shots.

What is one thing you wish you knew sooner in life?

simply posting cause i’m bored don’t be rude or ill be petty and try being rude back.

I think I’m depressed again. I escaped it for so long, but I think it’s back.

I don’t feel like myself. There’s this impending doom I keep feeling, like everything is gonna fall apart. It will. I can’t do anything about it other than prepare myself to be alone. Which, frankly (home wise) I do want to move out. The problem is managing all that myself.

I have bad ADHD (that wasn’t diagnosed until my final semester in high school) that makes everything so damn hard to do, and recently I just found out that I might have been dyslectic my whole life. I took honors classes in school, but I began struggling. So bad that I didn’t go to college. I tried. 2 times. But it hasn’t worked out.

I have this need to try to get rich like anyone else. But I’m so damn lazy and I feel like I’ve lost my talent. I can’t focus on anything. I don’t wanna work a 9-5. Not now and not ever. That’s not how I want to live. It feels lazy, like “I didn’t want to work,” which frankly I don’t. At least not in that way. I think I’ve done some “hard work” this year building strories and plans, but when you look at what real successful people do on a daily basis, it’s just not worth it. My friend is successful in his business, not rich, but successful. Frankly, he will be rich. And I don’t think that’s too far away. But I worked at his food truck a couple times, and I’ve seen how much work he puts into the truck, and it’s just not something I could do. It’s not the kinda life I wanna live. Slaving away for small chances of success.

When I told him I’m going back to school (which, I don’t know why I am anymore), he told me “you need to lock in. You’ve seen how hard it is for me to do the truck first hand. You know it takes work to be successful.” He’s right, but that’s just not something I can see myself doing.
At the same time, I haven’t been to work since July 22nd (medical), and this last month has felt so weird. It was nice at first, but now it feels like I’ve been cramped away in my room with no aspirations or meaning. It doesn’t help that my damn home is falling apart and my savings are almost gone.

I’m not suicidal, but I constantly think, “what’s the point? Why do I have to live like this and deal with these things?” Then I I think about people who have less than what I have and feel like I’m not grateful. I live in a good neighborhood. I don’t pay any bills other than electricity. I can spend my money on food easily. I can remain unbothered in my room sometimes.

At the same time I think, “what is the point of a home if you don’t want to be in it? What’s the point of a home you don’t feel safe in? What’s the point of a home that traps you in?”

It all feels like some sick trap. My entire family hates each other. There are people in the home that have threatened each other. They scream and yell every day. I get no support with school and payments. My mom isn’t present like she should be.

But I’m the availability itself feels like the trap. Comfortability feels like a trap. I hate it here, and I kinda hate life.

On a slightly more bright side, since February I’ve written 3 volumes of a series I want to eventually turn into a comic/manga, and I’ve started an idea that I’d hope could turn into something for marvel in the future. That’s honestly all I want to do anymore. Write to escape reality. I’ve became good at that over this year. But when everything comes crashing down, that will mean nothing. Writing isn’t a realistic way for me to live comfortably. And I hate that.

That friend I spoke about earlier is 1 of 2 that are in my life, and the other doesn’t live near me. I speak to no one, and get no social interaction, and that’s honestly the only reason I still try to go to college.

I don’t know about anything anymore tbh. Honestly if you read all of this, I thank you for that.

On social media, people talk about their wants/needs and green flags/red flags in a relationship. Whether you are in a relationship or want to be in one, how has social media affected your view on them?

(18 M)So when I was in 11th and 12th girls were afraid of me like when I walk past or from side they act scared like I am about to do something.

Look I am not that tall 5'9 and i think I'm pretty friendly

And also Im not that ugly (light brown in winter and dark brown in summer) And i was the topper of that batch

(Btw i rarely went to school )

So what makes me scary

I will start going to college regularly

Cuz i wanna make some friends so I need some tips

And is it bad to have 0 exes in 2026

My brother once asked me if I was gay like

(I am not gay)

I am interested in women and i am saying this from the bottom of my heart

Give me some advice plz

My family wants to move out of state when all of this cps bs is done with the kids. I don't want to go, I like it here, this house was my childhood, I spent all my 18 years here, even when my mom didn't own the house it was my Grandpa's house before he moved out to the farm and gave it to her. I wish I could stay behind and buy the house myself, but I'm unemployed and need other people.