Ask HN: What is the best way to spend my time as a 17-year-old who can code?

Re:Ask HN: What is the best way to spend my time as a 17-yea... by mehrdada on Sunday September 24, 2017 @12:48PM (#15325441)

Wish I could downvote this twice. This post builds on the Hollywood portrayal that’s widespread and assumes what’s fun and fulfilling is basically beer, weed, and recklessly driving, etc. I assume if a 17 year old finds doing these all the time fun enough, they would not need any helpful advice in execution.

To the OP: if you don’t like becoming an average older person, avoid following average older people’s advice. Think for yourself.

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Re:Ask HN: What is the best way to spend my time as a 17-yea... by lordCarbonFiber on Monday September 25, 2017 @01:49PM (#15332468)

I think the idea is to use the flexibility of youth to build social connections rather than academic ones. The code you did in high school, or even college, won't (typically) get you a job nor a fulfilling life; the friends you make (typically) will.

This profession, more than any other I think, can allow you to disappear from society chasing knowledge for its own sake and it's pretty easy to wind up 30 with a fat stack of cash and glowing career but no friends, no family and no way to efficiently bootstrap any change.

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Re:Ask HN: What is the best way to spend my time as a 17-yea... by jmkni on Sunday September 24, 2017 @05:28PM (#15326590)

I completely agree, sometimes younger people are just eager to grow up and get to work.

This was definitely my mindset at 17 (and today).

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Re:Ask HN: What is the best way to spend my time as a 17-yea... by confounded on Sunday September 24, 2017 @03:04PM (#15325982)

And do what?

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Re:Ask HN: What is the best way to spend my time as a 17-yea... by mehrdada on Sunday September 24, 2017 @03:36PM (#15326130)

You can’t outsource the CEO role of your life. You need to figure out who you want to be yourself and execute accordingly.

And there is compounding impacts for seemingly trivial decisions you make at 17. They are more important, not less, than the future decisions on that factor.

Also, I hate to point out that 17 isn’t that young. That some people in the thread are so underestimating of 17-year-old capabilities is disappointing.

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Re:Ask HN: What is the best way to spend my time as a 17-yea... by confounded on Sunday September 24, 2017 @07:59PM (#15327166)

> You can’t outsource the CEO role of your life

They really need to make Alan Partridge does Silicon Valley.

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