Bill Gates tweeted out some advice for new college grads -- here's what he had to say

Nick Vega

May 17, 2017, 11:00 AM

Bill Gates took to Twitter this morning to offer some words of wisdom to the class of 2017.

Here’s what he had to say:

Like most good commencement speakers, he started out with some levity.

1/ New college grads often ask me for career advice. At the risk of sounding like this guy…https://t.co/C68mjJ5g44
-- Bill Gates (@BillGates) May 15, 2017

But he made a quick pivot and shared an interesting piece of information: The field he would pursue if he were just beginning his career in 2017.

2/ AI, energy, and biosciences are promising fields where you can make a huge impact. It's what I would do if starting out today.
-- Bill Gates (@BillGates) May 15, 2017

Gates, who dropped out of Harvard University after his sophomore year, said there are a number of things he wishes he had known when he left.

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What he once placed a premium on became less meaningful to him as he got older.

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4/ E.g. Intelligence takes many different forms. It is not one-dimensional. And not as important as I used to think.
-- Bill Gates (@BillGates) May 15, 2017

Gates wishes he had been more aware about suffering elsewhere in the world.

5/ I also have one big regret: When I left school, I knew little about the world's worst inequities. Took me decades to learn.
-- Bill Gates (@BillGates) May 15, 2017

He urged new graduates to take advantage of the knowledge they have to do good in the world.

6/ You know more than I did when I was your age. You can start fighting inequity, whether down the street or around the world, sooner.
-- Bill Gates (@BillGates) May 15, 2017

He also urged his followers to continue to strive towards self-improvement.

YouTube/TED.com

7/ Meanwhile, surround yourself with people who challenge you, teach you, and push you to be your best self. As @MelindaGates does for me.
-- Bill Gates (@BillGates) May 15, 2017

And despite the fact that he is the world's richest man -- with a net worth over $85 billion -- Gates says that's not what brings him joy.

Picture: Getty Images

.@melindagates 8/ Like @WarrenBuffett I measure my happiness by whether people close to me are happy and love me, & by the difference I make for others.
-- Bill Gates (@BillGates) May 15, 2017

He also had words of support for those who have become disillusioned by war and suffering.

.@melindagates @WarrenBuffett 10/ @SAPinker shows how the world is getting better. Sounds crazy, but it's true. This is the most peaceful time in human history.
-- Bill Gates (@BillGates) May 15, 2017

.@melindagates @WarrenBuffett @sapinker 11/ That matters because if you think the world is getting better, you want to spread the progress to more people and places.
-- Bill Gates (@BillGates) May 15, 2017

.@melindagates @WarrenBuffett @sapinker 12/ It doesn't mean you ignore the serious problems we face. It just means you believe they can be solved.
-- Bill Gates (@BillGates) May 15, 2017

He finished off his impromptu address with a few encouraging words for graduates.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

.@melindagates @WarrenBuffett @sapinker 14/ This is an amazing time to be alive. I hope you make the most of it.
-- Bill Gates (@BillGates) May 15, 2017

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