Most of you know my son, Drew. He is currently a Junior at Ga. State Univ. He is going for a Bachelor of Business Administration majoring in Computer Sience. We don't see him sailing a lot because he claims he is studying all the time. Yea, we have heard that one before.
Here is the problem, he turns 21 years old on April 3rd.
I was thinking that there was no one better to give advice to a brand new 21 year old than all my windsurfing buddies.
So chime in. What should he do now. Input is desperately needed. There must be years and years of wisdom out there somewhere.
Oh by the way, his e mail address is
Just incase you wanted to give him a little message about something.
He won't listen to me!
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I am in the same position with 20 and 17 year old boys. I wish they would listen to me about five things.
1. Don't get married until they are at least 25.
2. Start a ROTH
3. Buy a house and finance it for as short a term as possible
4. Take up some form of recreation (biking, sailing, kayaking, etc). Make time for it in your life and marry someone who enjoys it also. See #1.
5. Don't ever make a car payment.
Man I wish I would have done these things at 21.
It's wierd - my girls just turned 18. I don't know if they listen to me or not, but I have my doubts at times. Alan's points are all good. I would add at least 1:
1. After not getting married until at least 25, don't have any children until at least 35. Children need grown ups for parents.
Randy
What happens in a black hole stays in a black hole.
Take a 1 year backpacking trip through Italy then when you get back, move back in with mom and dad until you get married then move your new wife in with you your mom and dad, work just enough to afford windsurfing gear a nice dirt bike and a truck to transport it all in and maybe one day buy you a RV and park it in mom and dads backyard and live there happily ever after.
the end
Why does it seem to me that Drew will find Speedsailor's advice the most worthwhile?
Randy
What happens in a black hole stays in a black hole.
Alan's list of 'five things' is hilarious! My parents gave me the same advice. But I can tell you the last thing on a 21yr-old's mind is investing his small bit of disposable income in a roth.
From a 27yr old...
If you're worried about your son growing up to be a non-windsurfer, get him involved in GA State's sailing club (if any). It will rekindle his appreciation for the sport. Besides, there are plenty of other darn good reasons:
- Sailing is a great place to meet good-looking/smart women
- The women are tan and sometimes wet
- Everyone who sails talks about sailing all the time (even computer science guys)
- He'll have no problem getting a second date if his first is spent on a sunset sail
- Sailors always stick together after graduation
Good Luck
Jon
Seriously though Drew, Find something you really love doing cause chances are you will be doing it the rest of your working life .......dont stress over the money it will come later !
and have a happy birthday monday
alan
Both my Wife and I just had our first child at 35 and are now worried we won't be able to keep up for long. It would have been better to have a child a few years earlier but we hadn't met yet and it is wonderful to have one now anyway. She is 6 months old and can't balance well enough to stand up, but I hope in a few years she can try to windsurf.
Back in my 20's right after college I was always worried about work and competing with my friends from college to see who could have the best job, get a house first, etc. I now wish I would have taken off on a backpacking trip to Europe, hiked a huge chunk of the AT, learned to windsurf/kayak earlier, etc. I ended up using all of my available vacation each year for 6 years going on short trips to Europe and spending every available weekend hour trying to drive somewhere to backpack or kayak until Sunday night. I even gave up playing guitar during my 20's in pursuit of whatever I was after in work back then and really only succeeded in making myself miserable most of the time.
Anyway, work is important, but before you know it you have too many obligations to go away and do something interesting for any period of time so it is best to have some fun while you can.
Jamie