Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask for your biggest regret?

52 replies

2boysandus · 17/10/2017 12:06

Mine is not going to university.

Kind of for the education, though I have an amazing job that I love now, but mostly the experience.

Anything you wish you had done but didn't or anything you did do and wish you didn't?!

OP posts:
Wincarnis · 17/10/2017 14:44

getting married

getting fat

NextIndia · 17/10/2017 14:47

Hurting a friend.

Pyjamaface · 17/10/2017 14:49

Boys and booze.

University went completely out of the window at the same time I could get into pubs and clubs.

But I did have a bloody good time Grin

Theresamayscough · 17/10/2017 15:03

Having children too young and spreading them out so been a mum from 21 to 50 abs now a gran. Love them all though.

Not extending iour house years ago when we had the energy.

Not having a dog earlier when the kids were little.

Contacting an old flame and in doing so hurt my dh

Not going to uni and getting a degree

MissConductUS · 17/10/2017 15:18

I wish I had quit drinking 5 or 10 years earlier than I did.

LibertyHill · 17/10/2017 15:20

Moving to London

VitriolicMuse · 17/10/2017 15:34

Being with my ex from 17 to 27.

Signing over the deeds to our house out of pity for ending the relationship. Been stuck renting for 5 years now.

Not making an effort to see my best friend more, he died aged 28.

Getting credit cards, worst decision ever - £9k debt later!

Wish I'd met my husband sooner in life, before we had kids so we could have been carefree and wild for a few years!

Gudgyx · 17/10/2017 15:39

Long term - getting credit really early, and a lot of it. They threw it at 10 years ago. My rating is shit now.

Recent - interviewed for and got offered a new job with a slightly higher salary last month. Rejected it as there was a job coming up in my current place that I wanted and thought I had a chance at. I didn't get that one, and in hindsight I never would have. Wish I'd taken the new job.

Very recent - just rubbed my eye after using my hand to put tiger balm on my forehead. It's burning.

Letitsnowrainhail · 17/10/2017 15:41

Not having a consistent education history. So many gaps, no wonder employers dong like me.

HatieCockpins · 17/10/2017 15:43

Staying with abusive ex for so long in the hope that things would get better.
They didn't.
Waiting years before seeking counselling&medication for MH problems.

LostwithSawyer · 17/10/2017 15:48

Not thinking about a career when I went to college at 16 and just did any course.

Not travelling before kids.
Not having the wedding I wanted.
Getting car finance.

Cupoteap · 17/10/2017 15:48

Not going to university

And marry exh

goingonabearhunt1 · 17/10/2017 15:55

I don't have many but there have been a few times where I wish I'd been less 'sensible', like missing trips or nights out because of money/revision/other sensible reasons. OTOH maybe it would have turned out badly if I had done those things...who knows.

My first year of college I was paranoid about doing badly and worried probably more than I needed to while my friends were mostly parting but then when it came to A2 year I already had good grades which helped getting into the uni I wanted to go to. So swings and roundabouts I guess.

I think being sensible/planning for the future etc. and having fun is a hard balance to strike sometimes!

goingonabearhunt1 · 17/10/2017 15:56

*partying

woops

Heckneck · 17/10/2017 15:59

Not exploring the world more before settling down.

Not being patient enough when dating and now regret turning a guy down when we had a good connection.

ShiftyLookingBadger · 17/10/2017 16:00

Sleeping with my ex boyfriend (bad enough) when I was 18 who I was absolutely head over heels in love with when he promised he wanted to be with me, but he had a GF (again bad) but also she was very popular and turned the entire school year against me except my closest friends, I was then bullied as a result. It's pathetic, I'm in my 40's and still get a knot in my stomach thinking about being spat at in the school corridor Blush. Never made that mistake again!!

Original poster
2boysandus · 17/10/2017 16:01

Hugs to all those with sad regrets xxx

Interesting to see the regret about going to uni when mine is not going! I guess we will all have regrets that are based on not really knowing how the other side would have felt to know if it would have been better at all though...

OP posts:
RosyPony · 17/10/2017 16:12

There are lots of things I regret in retrospect but all of those mistakes lead me along the path to meeting my amazing husband and subsequently having our children. I also know that if we'd met five years earlier it wouldn't have worked, the time was right.

I do wished I'd saved more money though!

Myheartbelongsto · 17/10/2017 17:00

Not getting a boob job, bought new carpets instead!

Not being a singer. Was my absolute dream although I do sing now I wish I had given it my all when I was younger.

Floellabumbags · 17/10/2017 17:05

Waiting until my forties before I went NC with my mother.

pilates · 17/10/2017 17:16

Not putting any effort in at secondary school. My school reports were right I could have done better. I turned it around at college and now have a fairly ok job.

DaisyRaine90 · 17/10/2017 18:11

Coming on here after more than one of these 🍷😂

Neverknowing · 17/10/2017 19:18

Not challenging people when they continued to be friends with my rapist and trying to be his friend myself. I found out later SIX other women had accused him of rape and our mutual friends still said they couldn't be certain it happened.

brogueish · 17/10/2017 19:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

gherkinperkin · 17/10/2017 19:56

Leaving someone I loved for someone I didn’t.

I was 18. Do still regret it in my nostalgic moments!