Ok, so I totally don't know how this investing stuff works but my father told me to invest in this thing called the S&P 500 through Vanguard. So I made a Vanguard account and invested in the VFIAX. I currently have 15k in it and everyone is telling me not to look at it until like 5 years have passed and the money will go up.
I started it 5 months ago and it definitely fluctuates, but right now I'm at $15,012 in my balance. I just don't seem how it's possible to go up so much in 5 years if it can't even go up more than $12 in 5 months.
Am I doing something wrong or this is really how it works? Any feedback or advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!