1. Cherish every little moment.
I do this little thing where whenever I do something special that I want to remember, I close my eyes for a minute. I take a mental snapshot of the scenery around me so I can remember the moment and what I was feeling.
2. Radiate positivity.
Life is too short to be a Negative Nelly and look at the glass as half empty. Find the positivity in each day and reciprocate those feelings to those who need it. Be a luminous ray of sunshine everywhere you go.
3. You don't have to be one person.
Every high school movie has the stereotypical mean cheerleaders, geeky smart kids, dramatic theatre kids, and rude jocks. It's okay to be more than one person; embrace your inner Troy and Gabriella and break the status quo. I'm an athlete, a cheerleader, a drama kid, and a member of the National Honor Society. You can do it all and be whatever you want to be.
4. Only rant to your BFF.
I made a promise to myself long ago that I would only tell my secrets to my absolute best friend. You never know who you can trust, so it is best just to spill all of your tea to your bestie.
5. It's okay if you don't want to talk to boys.
It is 1000% a-okay to not want to talk to boys. Do your own thing. If you want to talk to boys and have more boy friends than girl friends, that is absolutely fine! But if you really just get nervous talking to boys (like I do), that is okay. You have the rest of your life to deal with boys and relationships. Talk to whoever you want to.
6. Wear your lettermen as often as you can!
Believe it or not, one day it will not be socially acceptable to strut around in your blue football cheer lettermen. So, wear your school merch as often as you can. Have school pride, because one day you will be pulling out your lettermen from your high school memory box to show your kids what you used to wear on game days.
7. If you want to conform sometimes instead of sticking out, that is perfectly fine.
I've always been the type of girl who marches to the beat of her own drum. But as I've gotten older and I've been around different groups of girls, I've wanted to fit in a bit more. Of course, I haven't completely altered my likes and dislikes, I've just learned to fit in around different groups of people (which is all right!)
8. Receiving compliments about your personality are the best compliments to receive.
Recently, people have been complimenting me on how sweet I am and how nice I am to others. Although it feels awesome to have your friends hype you up about a selfie you took, it feels even better to have someone say something about your personality traits. Receiving compliments on my personality really boosts my self-esteem.
9. Call your grandparents as often as you can.
My life is super duper busy. Between extra-curricular activities and schoolwork, I have little to no spare time during the week. But, I still attempt to find time to call my Grammy. Grandparents always boost your confidence and believe in you when it feels like the whole world is against you. Give them a call and let them know how much you love and appreciate them.
10. Failing is all part of the process.
Every student experiences bad grades during their school careers. Kids who strive to get exceptional grades find themselves stressed constantly over test scores. But everyone fails at some point. You have to get knocked down a few pegs before you succeed.
11. You don’t need to be the most popular girl.
I have known since sixth grade that I will never be the most popular or well-liked girl in my grade. But, I am very grateful for my small group of amazing friends. And I thank my lucky stars every day for my 4 loyal best friends; I would take my small group over being the most popular girl any day.
12. Don't rush your childhood.
16-year-olds are still children, and I think some girls forget that! Once you grow up, there is absolutely no turning back. So, stay a youngin for as long as you possibly can.
13. Your initial gut-feeling is always right.
As teenagers, we are faced with many critical decisions. Our initial gut feeling is usually right when it comes to what we should answer. It is okay to say no to things; you should never pretend to be okay with something if your conscience is telling you otherwise.
14. You shouldn't be afraid to admit that you don't have all the answers.
Although I like to act like I know everything, I don't. You should not be afraid to ask for help when you need it. If you are completely lost and feel like you have no idea where to go, that is perfectly acceptable.
15. Do what you love.
Doing the activities that you absolutely love will make your 4 years in high school fly by. I love to perform on stage, cheer at football games, and run in cross country meets. Doing the activities that I am passionate about has made my 2 years of high school so enjoyable.
16. When in doubt, laugh it off.
There is nothing in this world that cannot be cured by a good dose of laughter. So giggle often and smile frequently. Share the joy that you carry with you in your heart and share it with the people around you.
