My younger brother is fifteen and is a freshman in high school this year. When I look at him, I see so much of my younger self. I see the way he acts and hear some of the things he says, and I think back to myself at that age and at those pivotal four years of my life. Looking back, there isn't a thing that I would change. Those four years molded me into the person that I am today and the person that I am striving to become. However, there are some things that I wish I'd known back then.

Here are some of those things that I wish I'd known:

1. More than likely, you're not going to marry your first love, and your best friend in high school probably won't be your maid of honor.

2. You might think your first heartbreak is going to kill you, but one day, you'll be able to look back and appreciate how much you grew from it.

3. You're not defined by your grades or your GPA.

4. Spend time with friends, but also appreciate the time you get to spend with family. You'll miss that more than anything when you move away from home.

5. Most teachers really do genuinely care about you, even when you don't see it.

6. You'll appreciate the AP classes once you get to college. Especially English. So many times, I catch myself sitting in class thanking my high school teachers for pushing me to be my best and for teaching me how to study, do research, and write papers.

7. You don't have to try so hard to gain someone's approval. A true friend will appreciate the real you, not the person you're pretending to be.

8. If you're struggling, don't be afraid to reach out to someone. No matter what you think, you're not strong enough to hold everything in and try to deal with it all on your own.

9. Reach out to people who are different from you. Get out of your comfort zone. You never know what could come from that.

10. Value friendships and don't let a relationship come between them. Not all friendships will stand the test of time, but that doesn't mean that they don't serve a purpose. Some friendships will last beyond high school. Cherish those. They are few and far between. Make time to hang out with those friends after high school, even when life gets crazy and you don't get to see them five days a week

11. Having a bad attitude and a smart mouth will do absolutely nothing for you, except keep you grounded for weeks or months at a time.

12. Life gets better. No matter how great or awful your high school experience was, it gets so much better in college.