While some mistakes can be rectified, others stick with us for the rest of our lives. Due to a lack of awareness, I made some tech mistakes as a teenager that still haunt me. Looking back, I realize they could have easily been avoided. Here are a few mistakes I wish I hadn’t made and how you can avoid them.
1 Using Too Many Email Accounts
One of the first tech mistakes I made in my early years of using a PC was creating too many email accounts. I had separate accounts for school, social media, gaming, and more. When I moved to college, I created yet another account. Little did I know that managing these accounts would become a nightmare.
Because I had too many accounts, I missed important deadlines as I often forgot to check specific email accounts. It became hard to remember and track which email was linked to specific online accounts. I even forgot passwords for some of these accounts and lost access to them entirely because I didn’t have a recovery method set up.
If I could go back and correct my mistakes, I’d prefer to have only two or three email accounts: one for personal use, one for school or work, and one for online activities like gaming and browsing. I’d also frequently use disposable emails, especially for accounts I only intended to sign up for and use temporarily.
2 Not Using a Password Manager
As a teenager, I underestimated the importance of using strong and unique passwords for different accounts and the convenience that password management systems provide.
I often used easily guessable passwords and reused them across multiple accounts, which exposed me to security risks and led to a few of my accounts being compromised. Additionally, by not having a password management system, I frequently forgot passwords and wasted time recovering my accounts.
If I could go back, I would have started using a password manager early on. It would have helped me generate strong, unique passwords for each account and remember them all in one place. This would have saved me from the hassle of resetting passwords repeatedly and improved my overall security.
3 Being Careless With Public Devices
Being extra careful when using public devices is crucial, a lesson I learned from my past mistakes. I frequently logged into personal accounts on public devices without properly logging out afterward. On one occasion, failing to log out of my email account allowed an intruder to send inappropriate emails to my contacts, an incident I still regret.
I often neglected to clear my browsing history and cache, leaving behind account credentials. Although I didn’t face serious issues because of this, my carelessness surely exposed me to security risks. Also, I used my USB and external hard drives with public PCs at college, which corrupted them and led to the loss of important data.
To avoid these issues, always log out of your accounts and clear your browsing history when you’re done using a public device. Likewise, use incognito or private browser windows whenever possible, and avoid connecting your storage devices to public computers to keep them and your saved data safe.
4 Not Backing Up My Data Properly
Not properly backing up my data is the biggest mistake I regret making during my early years of using a computer and phone.
I used a single laptop to store all my college project files and other important documents. Unfortunately, I also didn’t partition my drive properly. One morning, my laptop wouldn’t turn on due to an OS-related issue. I had to reinstall Windows on the only drive that held all my data, resulting in its loss.
Similarly, all the photos from my college years were on a single phone that got stolen, and I lost them all. Regularly backing up my data would have saved me from losing those important files and cherished memories. To avoid making this mistake, I now implement regular backups and ensure that every important file is safely stored.
When I was younger, I was heavily addicted to social media, and it’s one of my biggest regrets. I would often continue using social media even when I had an exam the next day. My grades suffered, I neglected developing skills, and I missed out on starting a side hustle at an early age. My days were disorganized, and I wasted precious years of my life.
If I could go back to my teens, I would have taken advantage of the screen time and app usage limit features offered by social media platforms and smartphones to save the time I spent scrolling mindlessly. Nowadays, I rarely use social media and manage my time more effectively when I do. I wish I had practiced this discipline earlier in life.
6 Buying a Smartphone Just for a Good Camera
When I bought my first phone, I prioritized the high-quality camera above all else. I didn’t pay much attention to other important features such as battery life, storage capacity, performance, warranty coverage, and tech support, and, most importantly, the trustworthiness and reliability of the smartphone brand.
As a result, I ended up buying a local phone that took great photos but struggled with other tasks. I couldn’t play games on it, its battery degraded quickly, and I didn’t get any tech support, having to rely on local technicians to fix issues. Although I had a warranty, the company went bankrupt in two years, rendering it useless.
I wish I had chosen a phone from a reputable company like Samsung, with more balanced features and clearly defined my needs, which would have helped me pick the right model.
7 Sticking With Windows and Not Trying Other Operating Systems
For as long as I can remember, I stuck with Windows, which I now realize was a notable mistake.
I was hesitant to explore other operating systems, thinking they would be challenging to learn and adapt to. This fear prevented me from experiencing the additional benefits they offer over Windows. It wasn’t until I recently switched from Windows to a MacBook that I discovered the stability and user experience it provides.
Looking back, I should have been more open to experimenting with different operating systems. Doing so would likely have led me to switch from Windows to macOS or Linux much earlier.
8 Not Using Two-Factor Authentication
I didn’t prioritize the security of my online accounts seriously enough, which was a mistake I could have easily avoided. I used weak passwords and didn’t enable two-factor authentication to protect them. Now, I understand that this simple step could have prevented my accounts from being compromised.
Recognizing its importance now, I advise everyone in my network to secure their online accounts with two-factor authentication wherever possible.
These are mistakes I regret and would undo if I could travel back in time. If you’re starting your tech journey, I hope my experiences help you avoid these pitfalls. If you find yourself making similar mistakes, remember that it’s never too late to prioritize your security, convenience, and well-being.
