In 2013, I was leaving my 10th graders departing the school I was currently working at. Inspired by a list made by an economics teacher, I left these tips for my 10th graders hoping that maybe just one tip might stick with them for life. This was the inspiration for "Failure is a New Beginning- Things I Wish Somebody Told Me at 22."

1. Mr. Vinickas’s 50WorldlyTipsThat I WishSomebodyHadToldMe
1. Somedayyouwill have amomentwhere youwishfora redoof eitherhighschool orcollege.A) Make
the most of highschool and college;have funbutmake educateddecisions.B) Slapyourself whenyou
wantthe redo.
2. Facebookisnot a methodof maintainingfriendshipspost-highschool.Make planswithyourold
friendsoverbreaks.
3. Be nice to all your teachersandprofessors.You’ll probablywantaletterof recommendationfrom
themsomeday.
4. Do notget a large orderof friesatFive Guysunlessif youhaven’teatenina few daysor are sharing.
5. On that note,don’tbringyoufriendwho’sallergictopeanutstoFive Guys.
6. When giventhe choice betweenice creamandgelato,pickgelato.
7. Everyone youwill evermeetwill know thingsyoudon’t. Don’tactlike a know-it-all.Tryto learnfrom
everyone youcan.
8. People will come intoyourlifeandoutof it. Don’tgrieve orget angryoverfriendsorsignificantothers
that leave yourlife…cherishwhatthey’ve broughtintoyourlife.
9. Some say that historyiscyclical.Whathappenedinthe pastwill repeatitself.Breakthe cycle.Learn
fromthe past,learnfromyour mistakesandother’smistakes.Use historytomake the worldbetter.
10. Do one eatingchallenge inyourlife.Evenif it’sapie eatingcontest.
11. Live inthe moment.Don’tlive throughlookingatyouselfies.
12. The bestplace to bringa date isto an amusementpark.Don’tbelieveme?Tryit.
13. Neverhave afirstdate at the movies.
14. Whenyouhave a job,tipyourwaiterbasedon theirperformance.If the foodwasbadbutyour
serverwasexcellent,don’tpunishthe waiter.Also,if youfoodtakesawhile there’snothingyouserve
can do aboutit. That’sthe kitchen’sfaultnottheirs.Tipatleast18% for goodservice.
15. Alwaysbringcashwithyouwhengoingto a new restaurant.Youneverknow whenyou’ll come
across a cash onlyoperation.Itgetsawkward.
16. Take summerand winterclassesincollege.They’re usuallygreatGPA boostersandcan free your
semestersuptostudyabroad or take coursesyoumightnot have beenable topreviously.
17. Your bosstellsyouto doa task,do it.

2. 18. Learn everythingyoucanfromyour grandparentsabouttheirpastand yourgreat-grandparents.You
neverknowwhentheywon’tbe around anymore,andyou’ll alwaysregretnotgettingtoknow their
story.
19. If safe and possible,breakforsquirrels.Remembertheyprobablyhave little babysquirrelstofeed.
20. Learn howto playgolf.It’sthe bestnetworkingsport.
21. Make listsof all the placesyouwant to visitwithoutchildren,withchildrenandboth.A romantic
getawayto the Caribbeanchangesonce youhave a toddlerintow.
22. Go to DisneyWorldwithyoursignificantotherbefore childrenandwithchildren.They’llbe two
completelydifferentexperiences,andyou’llbe gladyouhadboth.
23. Whenplanningaroad trip,alwaysmake the returntrip more funthan the departure trip.It’ll make
the returntrip lessdepressing.
24. Learn howto sayhello,goodbye,thankyou,andwhere canIfinda restroominthe native language
of anyforeigncountry.
25. VisitMansfieldDrive-Inatleastonce inyourlife especiallyif yougoto UConn or ECSU.
26. It isok to fail as longas youlearnfromit. Failingandlearningnothingfromitisthe worstcrime you
couldcommitto yourself.
27. For yourgen edrequirementsincollege,take classesthatare outside yourcomfortzone.They’re
usuallynotthathard to get a goodgrade in,and you’ll make yourself amore well-roundedperson.
28. If you don’tplanon majoringinhistoryorpolitical science,foryoursocial studiesgened
requirementtake eitherpsychology,sociologyoranthropology.
29. Joinat leastone clubincollege.You’ll make friendsthatlastalifetime.
30. All-nightersare annecessaryevil of college.Youmaystart a paper as earlyaspossible,butyou’ll still
probablybe upall nightbefore it’sdue.Askme aboutmy RomanHistorytextbookstory.
31. If you do majorinhistoryor political science,feel free tocontactme withanyquestionsorconcerns.
32. Readone fantasyepicsaga inyour lifetimeif youhaven’talreadyreadthe Harry Potterseries.I’d
recommendthe A Song of Ice and Fire series(Game of Thrones) or Lord of the Rings.
33. Get a pizzafromFrank Pepe’s.That’strue pizza.
34. There are fewthingsworthlosingafriendover.Take adeepbreath,take some time andworkit out.
35. A well styledandproofreadresume isyourbestfriendever.
36. Do not eatthe yellowsnow.

3. 37. Pickup a hobby.Anythingreally.Once youstartworkingfull-time,thathobbywill be yourstress
relief.
38. If you go to the South,go to a Hardee’sor Carl’sJr.versusa Wendy’sor McDonalds.It’ll redefine
whatyou call qualityfastfood.
39. Also,the Waffle House mayseemlike fun,buttrustme,anythingotherthanwafflesis shadythere.
Expectdigestionalissuesif yougothere.
40. Buy usedtextbookswheneverpossible.
41. Learn one or twogood jokesforparties.
42. Learn howto cookone good dish.Andbycook, I don’tmeanheatingupa Stouffer’slasagna.Guys,
thisisone of the bestways toimpressa girl.
43. It isok to getmad at stupiddrivers.Theyare puttingotherpeople’ssafetyatrisk.Justdon’tbecome
a stupiddriverwhenyougetmad.
44. Napsare gloriousincollege.Ididn’ttake asingle one.Imissedout.
45. Newisnot alwaysbetter.Newissometimesbetter.Don’twaste yourmoneyonstupidfads.
46. I stole thisone fromthe internet,butif achildasks youto answertheirimaginaryphone,you
answerthat call.
47. Alwaysbe earlyforan interviewandfirstdayof work.Alwaysbe fashionablylate foraparty.
48. If you like Reese’scups,trythe PB & C shake at ColdStone Creamery.
49. Everypersonyouwill evermeetwill have some kindof impactonyouandyou on them.Thinkabout
whatkindof impactyouwant to have.
50. There isno situationthathard workand perseverancewon’tgetyououtof it.