Tell HN: I'm 18 years old today

Try to max out your 401k or contribute as much as possible as early as possible and invest it into low-cost index funds. Compounding interest is one of the most powerful wealth builders there is, but it only works over long periods of time. What you put in now while you're young will be worth significantly more than putting in larger contributions later.

Funds to buy: VOO (S&P 500), VT (or VTSAX) (Global Total Stock Market), VTI (US Total Stock Market).

After that, I'd say buy a fast car while you're young and can enjoy it. But don't buy new. 90s sports cars were better anyway.

Finally, focus on relationships, use the things you love to do as a way to meet people and build relationships. The relationships you make now are what will sustain you as an adult. It's much harder to make friends at 30 than it is at 18.

Read a variety of books. I read a lot when I was younger but regret that I stuck to a couple of genres and missed out on learning a lot more had I read a greater variety of books, something I did much later in life.

Invest as much of your income as you can, not to eventually be rich (which you likely could be), but as insurance against being stuck in a boring/miserable job just to pay the bills.

People usually overestimate what they can do in a year and underestimate what they can do in 10 years.

Perception is reality. This is true of how you see the world and how people see you.

Convenience is like sugar - it is sweet and addictive and adds less to your life than you think. Finding ways of doing things that build connection to your community rather than cut you off (Prefer farmers markets to grocery stores and grocery stores to meal-delivery kits) will give you opportunities for meaningful connections every day.

Oh, and try mushrooms, but take them seriously and have a guide you trust and respect sit with you.

Meet as many people as you can. Those worth contact - contact every 3 weeks or so. After university meeting new people becomes much more difficult.

Get a habit of daily excercise.

For work try to get at two things: so you are not the best but can combine something. Being good at one thing is good too. Being a generalist is good too.