Yes, I know you just got your drivers license and you think that the most important thing is getting a car. Pfft. Save your money. That first car you get in two years will be great, last a heck of a long time and will take you all sorts of places.
You'll have great experiences and meet some great people along the way, but one of the most important things I could tell you will seem stupid to you right now.
Okay, two things. One: yes, you'll lose your hair at an early age. Don't fight it. Give in to it. Some people actually find bald heads a turn-on.
Secondly, and most importantly: Wear sunscreen. Every Day. High SPF. It doesn't matter if its winter or summer, sunny or cloudy. Wear it.
I know you're a sun lover but the sun is NOT your friend. It's your skins' enemy. It will kill you if you give it half the chance.
Wear sunscreen now, and perhaps you can avoid having to do a month long course of chemotherapy on your face and forehead to kill off all the precancerous nasties because burning carcinomas off with liquid nitrogen isn't enough any more. This month long course is extremely painful, include many sleepless nights of pain and itching, followed by at least another month of looking like something from a horror movie and getting all sorts of side-eye from others.
Worse yet, you go through all of this only to be told that this isn't just a one shot deal. There's the possibility of having to do this again, and the rest of your life is going to be dealing with sun damage, and watching out for spots that develop.
Thankfully, you'll never like tanning beds, but do yourself a favor - wear hats, take Vitamin D supplements and stay the hell out of the sun!
Signed,
49-year-old you (yup... you'll eventually be THAT old)
ps. buy as much Apple stock as you can and hold on to it.
Co-signed to it all. Well, except the hair thing. :) xo
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