29 pieces of advice…

…from a guy who’s having his last day as a 29-year-old.

1. Be honest with yourself, even if you can’t with anyone else.
2. Always give to charity, but remember that charity starts at home.
3. Date frequently and have as much sex as you can when you’re in college. It gets harder to meet someone afterwards.
4. Eat as well as you can afford to, and as close to natural as possible. You may not lose weight, but your body will thank you.
5. Don’t take crap from anybody.
6. Make sure you have a comfortable place to sleep.
7. Embrace your inner child, but be adult enough to snap out of it when necessary.
8. Never ask or answer the question: “Do I look fat in this?”
9. Indulge in a couple of guilty pleasures, preferably ones that won’t kill you.
10. Exercise regularly. Even if it’s just taking the stairs.
11. Geekiness will help you meet people on the internet, not so much in real life.
12. Have a favorite beer.
13. If you can afford to go to college, make sure you do.
14. Keep a gas card handy. You’ll thank me later.
15. If you love someone and they don’t love you back, set them free.
16. Learn a trade that you can make extra money with.
17. Make as many friends as you can…and treat them even better than you want to be treated.
18. Own at least one good pair of shoes.
19. Never tow the line of a political party.
20. Read a book or two regularly.
21. Procrastination only works occasionally to one’s favor.
22. You cannot drink your problems away.
23. Respect your parents, even if you have to move across the country to be able to deal with them.
24. Make friends with a good lawyer. You may need him or her someday.
25. Rock out to some good music sometimes. You’ll feel better afterwards.
26. Never charge more than half your credit limit on a credit card.
27. Know enough about sports and current events to carry on a relevant conversation.
28. Make sure you know the difference between sex and love.
29. Sometimes it’s just better to shut up.