If I could take one piece of advice, it would be from Buz Lurhmann
Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of '97... wear sunscreen.
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be IT.

The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience.

I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded. But trust me, in 20 years you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked.

You are NOT as fat as you imagine.

Don't worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing every day that scares you.


Sing.
Don't be reckless with other people's hearts, don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.


Floss.
Don't waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long, and in the end, it's only with yourself.

Remember compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements.


Stretch.
Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don't.

Get plenty of calcium.

Be kind to your knees, you'll miss them when they're gone.

Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't, maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't, maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself, either. Your choices are half chance, so are everybody else's. Enjoy your body, use it every way you can. Don't be afraid of it, or what other people think of it, it's the greatest instrument you'll ever own.

Dance. Even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.

Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.

Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents, you never know when they'll be gone for good.

Be nice to your siblings; they are your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography in lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.


Travel.
Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too will get old, and when you do you'll fantasize that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one might run out.

Don't mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen.
(drain_bamaged, Wed 25 Jun 2008, 11:52, 18 replies)

Very much
bindun i'm afraid.
(Bazongaloid, Wed 25 Jun 2008, 11:53, closed)

got that on my mp3 player
w00t
(Foulkesy123 The one and only..., Wed 25 Jun 2008, 11:56, closed)

...
1) it's been posted
2) it's absolute shit
( crackhouseceilidhband Fuck off back to Mumsnet, Wed 25 Jun 2008, 12:01, closed)

3) My parents and siblings are probably the biggest shits that I should ever avoid in my life.
( Bert Monkeysex is waiting for the mods to delete him, Wed 25 Jun 2008, 12:03, closed)

^
4) what Bert says
( crackhouseceilidhband Fuck off back to Mumsnet, Wed 25 Jun 2008, 12:03, closed)

5) It's Baz Luhrmann.
( IHaveABadFeelingAboutThis most likely working from home on, Wed 25 Jun 2008, 12:04, closed)

5) Hello CHCB!
( Bert Monkeysex is waiting for the mods to delete him, Wed 25 Jun 2008, 12:04, closed)

7)
Bert got his number wrong.

'lo Bert!
(Bazongaloid, Wed 25 Jun 2008, 12:05, closed)

12) Fuck you!

Hi al, in response to your question the yesterday that I rudely ignored, the Mrs is fine.

How's the electrics?
( Bert Monkeysex is waiting for the mods to delete him, Wed 25 Jun 2008, 12:07, closed)

69) Dude!
electrics are okay bar the problem with the downstairs sockets shorting out whenever we plug in big things.

But he's coming back to fix that.

I'm loving having clean floors and a proper bed again.
(Bazongaloid, Wed 25 Jun 2008, 12:12, closed)

'the problem with the downstairs sockets shorting out whenever we plug in big things'.
You're boasting again al...

*wets self in hysterics*

*remembers is wearing cream linen suit today and goes red with embarrassment*
( Davros' Granddad a voice of calm reason in a world of spastics., Wed 25 Jun 2008, 12:22, closed)

Davros
You ARE the man from Del Monte. And I cream my frilly knickers.
(Bazongaloid, Wed 25 Jun 2008, 12:24, closed)

Al, you should see me
when I'm wearing the panama hat...

(Yes, I do own one)
( Davros' Granddad a voice of calm reason in a world of spastics., Wed 25 Jun 2008, 12:25, closed)

What?
just a panama hat?

*gets excited*

*hopes tourettes isn't reading this*
(Bazongaloid, Wed 25 Jun 2008, 12:27, closed)

@DG
Me too.
(bazmorningstar efil4nat3b, Wed 25 Jun 2008, 12:27, closed)

Panama hats
Are all kinds of cool.

Al, you're OK - she's at work just now, you imagine yourself into a frenzy ;-)
( Davros' Granddad a voice of calm reason in a world of spastics., Wed 25 Jun 2008, 12:29, closed)

Class of '97
During my last term at 6th form we were played this in lieu of some proper advice.

That and them mentioning to us that we were long overdue a death in our year. :/
(Shippy likes linebreaks and doesn't care what you think, Wed 25 Jun 2008, 12:31, closed)

The BEST advice
Don't waste your time and money on going to see Baz Lurhman's films.
(danthegpi, Thu 26 Jun 2008, 4:50, closed)