Moments from the past for which I wish I could have a do-over

Aiming for a life free of regret is a pretty good goal, I think. There are a few occasions, though, I wish I could temporarily revisit with my present-day knowledge and temperament and self-assuredness so things might have turned out a bit better.

When my first boyfriend broke up with me. I cried, I told him I'd miss him, but the truth is I had planned on breaking up with him; he just got to it first. A little more nonchalance, or maybe having the lady-balls to go ahead and end it, would have been more true to myself.

Breaking up with my second boyfriend to go out with a total douche. My second boyfriend is the only guy other than my husband who I view as a totally stand-up guy, then and now. Although I highly doubt we would have been a matrimonial match, I really could have done without that douche.

Deciding against that road trip sophomore year of college. Tough to explain, so just take my word on it.

Choosing to get an MA instead of an MFA. I really enjoy the degree program I'm pursuing (writing and editing), but part of me thinks I didn't choose to apply for the MFA program because I was afraid of failure. If it were practical, I'd do both.

Not taking that Benadryl last night. Because I was still wide awake at 3 a.m.

Do any of you guys want a do-over?

Posted by Erin of The Fierce Beagle

6 comments:

Lou said...

Oy vey.

Breaking up with a totally cool girlfriend because I didn't want to hurt her. Thought I was still too hung up on my ex-girlfriend and it would end up being an issue.

In hindsight, I would have been better off if I had stayed the course.

magnolia said...

oh, lord, where to begin:

going to my first undergraduate college.

getting so attached to that boy.

moving heaven and earth to be with him.

taking that first job out of college.

(ditto for the second and third ones, too.)

marrying him.

not divorcing him sooner.

putting off my dreams. they've been pretty freaking amazing, now that i'm actually pursuing them...

stephanie said...

deciding not to apply for a trip to japan after my senior year of college...and not working the entire junior year of college as an artist's assistant...all to spend time with my (at the time) boyfriend who i missed SO MUCH. too bad it turned out he was a big fat liar.

oh and not jumping into an mfa program right after college. all of those student loan payments hit me and the thought of taking more on just freaked me out. if i had done an mfa program right afterwards, i could have remained "out of the know" on those payments (that i apparently will be making for the rest of my existence).

Suniverse said...

Oh, my. The list is endless:

Not going to grad school right after undergrad.
Not going to law school right after grad school.
The last time I cut my hair.
Eating that piece of lasagna when I KNOW I can't handle the tomato sauce.
The many, many guys I dated in college.

Wow. I wish we did have rewind.

Anonymous said...

I so want to be that person, the one who says "I don't regret anything, it's all about the learning experience!", but the truth is, I do have regrets. Many have to do with choices I made in school. And yeah, marrying a man I wasn't crazy about was not smart.

But the path I took after school led to a wonderful, unexpected career and the marriage produced a son I love with all my heart. So, yeah. Regrets are tough.

Marie said...

I wish I hadn't gone home every summer and spring break during college. Just thinking of the fun I could have had stayed makes me disappointed. Of course, thinking of the trouble I most likely would have got in makes me thankful.

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