--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't know,\" I said. \"What else did you…" description: "\"I don't know,\" I said. \"What else did you do for your first eighteen years?\" \"Like I said,\" he said as I unlocked the car, \"I'm not so sure that you sh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dd/sarah-dessen-110_along-for-the-ride_i-don-t-know-i-said-what-else-did-you-do_248245.png" --- # I don't know," I said. "What else did you do for your… ![“I don't know," I said. "What else did you do for your first eighteen years?" "Like I said," he said as I unlocked the car, "I'm not so sure that you should go by my example." "Why not?" "Because I have my regrets," he said. "Also, I'm a guy. And guys do different stuff." "Like ride bikes?" I said…” quote by Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dd/sarah-dessen-110_along-for-the-ride_i-don-t-know-i-said-what-else-did-you-do_248245.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dd/sarah-dessen-110_along-for-the-ride_i-don-t-know-i-said-what-else-did-you-do_248245.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dd/sarah-dessen-110_along-for-the-ride_i-don-t-know-i-said-what-else-did-you-do_248245.png) > “I don't know," I said. "What else did you do for your first eighteen years?" "Like I said," he said as I unlocked the car, "I'm not so sure that you should go by my example." "Why not?" "Because I have my regrets," he said. "Also, I'm a guy. And guys do different stuff." "Like ride bikes?" I said. "No," he replied. "Like have food fights. And break stuff. And set off firecrackers on people's front porches. And..." "Girls can't set off firecrackers on people's front porches?" "They can," he said... "But they're smart enough not to. That's the difference.” [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A character reflects on youthful recklessness, regrets, and gendered expectations, highlighting personal growth and the complexity of adult choices. **In simple terms:** He admits past mistakes and differences between men and women. Key Takeaway Embrace learning from past actions. Themes regret gender roles growth identity adolescence Mood introspective nostalgic Type literary conversational When to use this quote - self‑reflection - friendship discussions - career planning - relationship advice Key Concepts literature psychology social norms Questions to Reflect On - How do past experiences shape who you are? - What lessons can you share? A Different Perspective May reinforce stereotypes about gender behavior. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Along for the ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/along-for-the-ride/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Firecracker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firecracker/) [Food Fight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food-fight/) [Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Why not](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/why-not/) ## Related quotes > [“Girls can’t set off firecrackers on people’s front porches? ” “They can,” he said as I cranked the engine. “But they’re smart enough not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/girls-can-t-set-off-firecrackers-on-people-s-front-porches-they-can/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“I just shook my head, knowing this was him evading the question. You," I said, "have this whole tall, dark stranger thing going on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-just-shook-my-head-knowing-this-was-him-evading-the-question-you-i/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“She said, “What?” so I replied, “What what?” She gave me a look that said, “What what what?” and I didn’t respond because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/she-said-what-so-i-replied-what-what-she-gave-me-a-look-that-said/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“Smoking can kill you, he said, and I replied: sounds better than being bored to death”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-thurlow/smoking-can-kill-you-he-said-and-i-replied-sounds-better-than-being/) [Chloe Thurlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-thurlow/) > [“Now we are entering a new age,' she had said to him, to which he had replied, 'A new age begins with every day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernst-zillekens/now-we-are-entering-a-new-age-she-had-said-to-him-to-which-he-had/) Ernst Zillekens > [You become very strong since you wont know how to control it, so maybe then you could wrestle us? I raise my eyebrows in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade/you-become-very-strong-since-you-wont-know-how-to-control-it-so-maybe/) [Jade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade/) > [There will be water and food fights everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-yong-kim/there-will-be-water-and-food-fights-everywhere/) [Jim Yong Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-yong-kim/) > [When we had the infamous mealtime scenes, food fights would inevitably develop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlene-tilton/when-we-had-the-infamous-mealtime-scenes-food-fights-would-inevitably/) [Charlene Tilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlene-tilton/) > [I think people are smart enough to sort it out. They know when they're watching one of these food fight shows where journalists sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/i-think-people-are-smart-enough-to-sort-it-out-they-know-when-they-re/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [Food fighters in Japan think of themselves as athletes. They have a higher recognition of the game and are constantly thinking about records. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/takeru-kobayashi/food-fighters-in-japan-think-of-themselves-as-athletes-they-have-a/) [Takeru Kobayashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/takeru-kobayashi/) > [Every fight is a food fight when youre a cannibal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/every-fight-is-a-food-fight-when-youre-a-cannibal/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [“But even now the city's freewheeling virtual world stood in stark contrast to the day-to-day lives of most people, to those of young men,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/but-even-now-the-city-s-freewheeling-virtual-world-stood-in-stark/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [It's always this grand search in the industry to find good material. Whenever there is good material, they all jump on it, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/it-s-always-this-grand-search-in-the-industry-to-find-good-material/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [I'm sick of being too nice to people who don't do shit but consume light. Told myself, 'Fuck the world kid, just do what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-miller/i-m-sick-of-being-too-nice-to-people-who-don-t-do-shit-but-consume/) [Mac Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-miller/) > [Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/part-of-the-secret-of-success-in-life-is-to-eat-what-you-like-and-let/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) ## More by Sarah Dessen > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“if i were a book i would be so open”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/if-i-were-a-book-i-would-be-so-open/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Harder to get in than out, like so little else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/harder-to-get-in-than-out-like-so-little-else/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“At times, I found myself questioning his very existence, even though I knew I had, in fact, spotted him, with my own eyes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/at-times-i-found-myself-questioning-his-very-existence-even-though-i/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You don't have to say it out loud. I already know why you like me.' 'You do, huh?' 'Yep.' He wrapped his arms around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/you-don-t-have-to-say-it-out-loud-i-already-know-why-you-like-me-you/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [No relationship is perfect, ever. There are always some ways you have to bend, to compromise, to give something up in order to gain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/no-relationship-is-perfect-ever-there-are-always-some-ways-you-have/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [When you had to do something, you had to do it. And eventually, if you were lucky, you did it well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/when-you-had-to-do-something-you-had-to-do-it-and-eventually-if-you/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [the truth about forever is that it is happening right now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/the-truth-about-forever-is-that-it-is-happening-right-now/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I jammed my hand in my jacket pocket, bracing myself fo the next hit, and fel something. Something grainy and samll, sticking to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-jammed-my-hand-in-my-jacket-pocket-bracing-myself-fo-the-next-hit/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I had no illusions about love anymore. It came, it went, it left casualties or it didn't. People weren't meant to be together forever,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-had-no-illusions-about-love-anymore-it-came-it-went-it-left/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“But maybe that isn't so bad. You can't love anyone that way more than once in a lifetime. It's too hard and it hurts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/but-maybe-that-isn-t-so-bad-you-can-t-love-anyone-that-way-more-than/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [This was just one night, one chance to vary and see where it took me. The fireflies were probably already out: maybe it wasn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/this-was-just-one-night-one-chance-to-vary-and-see-where-it-took-me/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [call it chicken salad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/call-it-chicken-salad/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“For me, however, it was a mix of the two, this constant push and pull. I loved it here. But I'd been in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/for-me-however-it-was-a-mix-of-the-two-this-constant-push-and-pull-i/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I think whenever a writer is really enjoying themselves and liking what they are doing, that shows on the page.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-think-whenever-a-writer-is-really-enjoying-themselves-and-liking/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) [Explore all 1,251 Sarah Dessen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) ## More Along for the ride quotes > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“It's never fifty-fifty in a marriage. Someone falls in love first. Someone puts someone else up on a pedestal. Someone works hard to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/it-s-never-fifty-fifty-in-a-marriage-someone-falls-in-love-first/) [jodi picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > ['Faithfully' speaks to me. It's about a guy who's busy with his work, always on the road, but I'm still completely into you. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-garrett/faithfully-speaks-to-me-it-s-about-a-guy-who-s-busy-with-his-work/) [Myles Garrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-garrett/) > [“And you think you can help me find my way?” He shook his head, his eyes went warm and I got another neck squeeze,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/and-you-think-you-can-help-me-find-my-way-he-shook-his-head-his-eyes/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [“This is a 911? You know you only text that when someone is dead or dying. You scared the crap out of me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/this-is-a-911-you-know-you-only-text-that-when-someone-is-dead-or/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You know it's never fifty-fifty in a marriage. It's always seventy-thirty, or sixty-forty. Someone falls in love first. Someone puts someone else up on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/you-know-it-s-never-fifty-fifty-in-a-marriage-it-s-always-seventy/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [You've got all these characters and yet, you're hovering over one character like a fly over a stinky diaper. Realize that you've got a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-wendig/you-ve-got-all-these-characters-and-yet-you-re-hovering-over-one/) [Chuck Wendig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-wendig/) > [“Life…Isn't a roller coaster, it isn't unexpected or surprising. It's not a free ticket to go along for the ride... Simply put, Life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bilal-hussain/life-isn-t-a-roller-coaster-it-isn-t-unexpected-or-surprising-it-s/) Bilal Hussain > [I'm a storyteller... I haves a God-given gift that I can share with you and perhaps entertain you and bring you along for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-sutter/i-m-a-storyteller-i-haves-a-god-given-gift-that-i-can-share-with-you/) [Kurt Sutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-sutter/) > [“Then he picks up the first book and holds it so Peter can read the title. I Hadn’t Meant to Tell You This Peter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/then-he-picks-up-the-first-book-and-holds-it-so-peter-can-read-the/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [ I was lucky to come along for the ride. \[My mother\] really is an amazing woman. And the world we lived in in South… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-noah/i-was-lucky-to-come-along-for-the-ride-my-mother-really-is-an-amazing/) [Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/) > [“Need to get to Ruislip by sparrow-fart though', said the squadron leader. 'Think you can do that? Can I come along for the ride?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rankin/need-to-get-to-ruislip-by-sparrow-fart-though-said-the-squadron/) [Robert Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rankin/) > [“It is the role of the BCYF caseworker to simply go along for the ride, so that if by some miracle it reaches the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/it-is-the-role-of-the-bcyf-caseworker-to-simply-go-along-for-the-ride/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [The ones that I love of 'I Love Lucy' are when one of them decides they need something, and the other one is along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennon-parham/the-ones-that-i-love-of-i-love-lucy-are-when-one-of-them-decides-they/) [Lennon Parham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lennon-parham/) > [People are fascinated about the world above them because it seems so out-of-reach. My jump gave them an opportunity to come along for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-baumgartner/people-are-fascinated-about-the-world-above-them-because-it-seems-so/) [Felix Baumgartner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-baumgartner/) [Browse all 122 Along for the ride quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/along-for-the-ride/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't know,\" I said. \"What else did you do for your first eighteen years?\" \"Like I said,\" he said as I unlocked the car, \"I'm not so sure that you should go by my example.\" \"Why not?\" \"Because I have my regrets,\" he said. \"Also, I'm a guy. And guys do different stuff.\" \"Like ride bikes?\" I said. \"No,\" he replied. \"Like have food fights. And break stuff. And set off firecrackers on people's front porches. And...\" \"Girls can't set off firecrackers on people's front porches?\" \"They can,\" he said... \"But they're smart enough not to. That's the difference.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sarah Dessen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-don-t-know-i-said-what-else-did-you-do-for-your-first-eighteen/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Along for the ride" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-don-t-know-i-said-what-else-did-you-do-for-your-first-eighteen/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dd/sarah-dessen-110_along-for-the-ride_i-don-t-know-i-said-what-else-did-you-do_248245.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dd/sarah-dessen-110_along-for-the-ride_i-don-t-know-i-said-what-else-did-you-do_248245.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dd/sarah-dessen-110_along-for-the-ride_i-don-t-know-i-said-what-else-did-you-do_248245.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't know,\" I said. \"What else did you do for your first eighteen years?\" \"Like I said,\" he said as I…” — Sarah Dessen", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Sarah Dessen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I don't know,\" I said. \"What...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-don-t-know-i-said-what-else-did-you-do-for-your-first-eighteen/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-don-t-know-i-said-what-else-did-you-do-for-your-first-eighteen/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```