What do teenagers need to know to be good adults?

[Gov101]

Suppose you could snap your fingers make it so that all teenagers in the country were held accountable for understanding THREE responsibilities, skills, and/or bits of knowledge that you consider to be of critical importance for adulthood. What would they be?

[fizzgig]

1. don't be a dickbag

it's not hard to be a decent human being

know how to manager your money, beware of credit cards

make sure to have fun, don't kill yourself

[Populist_Prole]

2. That they have adult influence on society

Without the sagacity gained from all the scrapes and bruises of adulthood. Listen listen listen and pay attention to empirical evidence. If they're smart ( by that I mean, they can think critically ) they'll very quickly have a good handle on what's what and everything they learn afterwords will positively affect their worldview far out of proportion to their age.

[tabbycat31]

3. financial literacy

It's not taught in schools (or at least it wasn't when I was) and being a better consumer.

I wish I had known about interest, credit cards, budgeting, insurance, etc before I was an adult and got into trouble with a credit card as a college freshman.

[Dash87]

4. To be like most adults, keep acting like teenagers.

To be good adults, act like an adult. It seems like common sense, but most people seem to fail at not acting like petulant children.

[Major Nikon]

5. Self-reliance

When you rely on another person for your basic needs, that person gets to tell you how to run your life. While there is certainly nothing wrong with entering such an agreement willingly, a person should not have the expectation of one without the other.

[bobclark86]

6. Rule Number One:

Don't be a dick.

2) Don't be a fool; wrap your tool. Babies suck, and you don't want one until you're 30 and have a real job (and a marriage, or at least the kind of partner you would be willing to marry). You can keep having sex, but wrap yourself before you wreck yourself. Girls can get in on the act too, and don't be afraid to shame your man into buying a nice dinner once a month to make up for the money you spend on the pill. Remember: He's using it, too.

3) Credit cards are the spawn of the devil. As are car loans (buy an uncool jumker, or hunt around for an unmolested Crown Vic/Grand Marquis driven by an old lady).

3a) Cops ignore white, black, green and blue SEDANS, compared to flashy neon hatchbacks and coupes. Take that forest green 1999 Crown Vic you bought for $2k, drop the $2k you were going to spend on a sound system in your new Fiesta into the engine compartment of the Crown Vic and get that baby blown. You can, done properly, get that puppy up to 600hp for about $2,000.

4) If you want to study art, become a writer, or become a non-classical musician, just go work at Starbucks. Do not pass College, do not borrow $50,000. Follow your dreams, but don't do it while living on loans, unless your backup plan involves performing surgery or defending criminals.

5) Don't be afraid of a bicycle to get milk at the store three blocks away, you fat, lazy bastard.

6) Visible tattoos might look cool to you, but remember this: Most people who hire other people are old, and usually Republican. Just something to think about if you ever plan on having an office job EVER.

7) Drugs are bad. M'kay. Meth is bad. Crack, yeah, crack is bad, m'kay. IF you do drugs, then you're bad. So don't be bad, m'kay?

[NightWatcher]

13. You should be a motivational speaker

I bought an old Caprice and rebored the engine out. Best 2500$ ever spent.

[warrior1]

7. learn how to type

take any job you can find

finish hs

Never say you are bored at work

Try to get a job working for the state.

[a la izquierda]

8. Do not ever, ever give up what you dream for.

Strive to never disappoint yourself (I always strove not to disappoint others, but it's not about them).
Live your life to be happy.
Be open.
Life is short, but the journey is long and sometimes difficult. Embrace it.

This sounds ultimately selfish, but I have long since learned the hard way that one cannot live anyone else's life but one's own.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

9. The world doesn't revolve around you, your needs or desires.

Your parents aren't as dumb as they look.
Avoid going into debt, especially by using credit cards.

[Avalux]

10. Three.....hmmm.....

1. Treat others as you wish to be treated
2. You are capable of doing whatever you desire
3. Do not waste your life worrying about the past as future. Be here now, and be happy.

[Chan790]

11. These three things.

I cribbed mine from Print, a magazine for graphic designers.

[Taitertots]

12. Learn to drive, learn to cook for yourself (good tasting), and how to be smart with your money

[annabanana]

14. patience. . . . . . n/t

[Callmecrazy]

15. My sig line...

[vanlassie]

16. Keep your word. Respect other's time.

Save money.

Those will get you far right there...