A Letter to My Sixteen Year Old Self

Well, it’s been almost 7 years and I can assure you that you’ve come a long way from the naive girl you once were. You’re just starting your Junior year of High School, and a whole lot is about to change. You’re about to meet some of the people that will change everything about who you become. So here’s what I have to offer you:

Lesson 1

Those friends you have right now? They won’t be there later in life, even though you thought they would. They end up at colleges all over the country, and they turn into great people, mostly. Don’t worry, you find your place eventually. But savor the moments you have with these people. Hold on to the laughter and the stupid fights and the secrets that you once thought were so important. Remember who they are, right now, today. Because some day you’ll meet again and this life will seem so far away.

Lesson 2

Stop becoming all of the things that you think that stupid boy wants you to be. Stop pretending to like things just because he does. When you’re 22 you’ll look back and wonder why the person you were wasn’t enough. Here’s a little secret: you were enough, just not for yourself.

Lesson 3

Driving is not as exciting as it seems right now, and no, you will not “die” if you don’t get your license ASAP. Because as soon as you do get that license, the most driving you’ll ever do is to the grocery store when your parents forget something.

Lesson 4

Don’t take it all so serious. Look around you and realize that this is not your whole life. There’s so much more coming your way, and even if you miss these hallways and these people someday, it’ll never amount to what lies ahead. That being said, you should always remember how easy and free these days are, because college is a whirlwind of stress and exhaustion. So go ahead, skip Spanish class and sneak off to Starbucks during Study Hall, because these days are numbered.

Lesson 5

Trust your instincts. That friend that ditched you doesn’t deserve a second chance, even if you did learn some good lessons from forgiving her. There are going to be people that you just don’t like, and trust me, she turns out to be exactly who you thought.

Lesson 6

High School can be a cruel place, but it has been abnormally good to you so far. That’s about to change, you’re about to change, and that’s okay. Eventually, it makes you into the person who sits here today, writing this. It makes you the strong, determined, outspoken, wise woman that ends up having more of an impact than she realizes.

Lesson 7

Stop trying to fix everyone. There will come a boy who is broken in every way, and he’ll charm you into thinking that you’re the one for him. And every part of you will want to help him, fix him, change him. But you can’t. It’ll take you a long time to forget the days that he tainted with his memory, and you’ll think about the ways that he hurt you long after it’s over. And 7 years later, he isn’t any different. But the great part about that is that you leave him far behind.

Lesson 8

Your parents are enemy #1 lately, but take the time to listen. They’ve walked in your shoes, they’ve experienced and felt the very same things that you do. That friend of yours that they don’t seem to like? There’s a reason for that. They have a lot more to offer you than just the apparent annoyance that you currently feel. Remind them that you love them, because they  need to hear that more than you know. And when you’re 22, you’ll look back and regret the way you treated them sometimes. They’ll say that they understand, and that it’s “okay”, but it still hurts when you realize how mean you could be.

Lesson 9

Stop hanging around those idiots that drive recklessly and spend 90% of their time drunk or otherwise occupied. It’ll take some close calls, but someday you’ll realize just how fragile life can be. You’ll learn the hard way; we typically do.

Lesson 10

Be kind to your body. You are way more capable, and unique, and beautiful than you can see right now. Don’t take that for granted, and don’t waste so much energy trying to change what you see in the mirror. You are your own worst enemy.

So I guess that’s all for now; life is going to unwind very quickly from here on out. In about a year, you’re going to meet the man that you fall in love with. And when you’re 22, you get to wake up to his smile and messy hair every morning. And when you get to college you’ll meet the best friends that you will ever have, and they’ll reshape all the ways that you see the world. In other words, you’re in for it! Oh and by the way, please remember to return that Chemisty text book that you end up losing because it cost $90. Bye for now!