Being sixteen comes with a lot of change and sometimes a lot of hardship, but never fear: here are 16 things that I wish I knew at sixteen (and that I should probably review now because a lot of these tips are still relevant).
1. Don't waste your time on those who don't have your best interest at heart.
Sure it can be fun hanging out with a new crowd, but if all your friends want to do is gossip and party, they probably don't have your best interest at heart. Trust me: these people aren't your true friends. No matter how fun they may be. You deserve to be surrounded by people that lift you up, listen to and care about your passions.
2. Try harder in school!
That "C-" in math doesn't seem like such a big deal until you are applying for your dream school or going through sorority recruitment! You'll wish that you had tried harder in school.
3. Your family should always come first.
Friends and boyfriends come and go, but your family will always be there for you.
4. You probably won't care about that boy that broke your heart a few years (or even a few months) down the road.
At the time, being rejected or having your heart broken by a boy seems like the end of the world. However, with time you'll forget about that boy. Your self-worth doesn't depend on whether or not you have a special someone in your life, anyway.
5. It's okay to tell people "no."
No one is forcing you to do anything that you aren't comfortable or capable of doing. You never have to commit to something that you don't want to. You have the power to say "no."
6. Happiness is a choice that you have to make every day.
Being happy is something that you have to choose. Only you are truly in charge of your own happiness.
7. There will always be someone that you think is better than you. In turn, there will always be somebody that thinks that you are better than them.
So you aren't the most athletic person, but you're talented at other things that someone else may admire! It's okay to not be the best, but it's important to realize that you're good at some things.
8. Your parents are probably right with their advice that you're too stubborn to take.
I know that you don't want to listen to your "lame" parents, but with time you'll realize that they're actually pretty cool and that they were once teenagers too. Their advice is accurate 99% of the time, as well. (Exhibit A: the "cool kids" don't matter after you graduate.)
9. You should always think before you post something on social media.
Yeah, your Facebook status comparing homework to brussels sprouts and those adorable pictures of you and your friends making the "duck face" (see http://antiduckface.tumblr.com for reference) might seem like a great idea now, but just wait until your college friends un-earth those embarrassing pictures and Facebook statuses for the world to see once again.
10. Being a "popular" or "cool kid" does not matter one bit after you graduate high school.
After high school, no one cares about the "popular" or "cool kids" anymore (thanks for trying to tell me this in high school, Mom and Dad). After all, there are much more important things to worry about than trying to be something that you are not.
11. Those girls that are being mean to you and "ruining your life" do not matter one bit in the scheme of things.
In college, the "mean girls" won't cross your mind at all. Being talked badly about sucks, but in college you won't care about things that were said about you when you were 16 so much. It just won't matter, and more importantly, they won't matter.
12. Be more involved.
Go to all of the football games and pep assemblies. Dress up for all of the spirit days. One day you might look back on those memories and smile.
13. Do what YOU want, not what everyone else wants.
Just because other people think that something will be good for you, doesn't mean that it will be. Do what you want for yourself and stop letting yourself be influenced by everybody else.
14. Don't confuse attention for love.
It's nice for people to pay attention to you and it's nice when they crave your attention too, but this isn't love. Love isn't selfish. Only wanting attention, however, is selfish.
15. A little bit of kindness can go a long way.
You never know what someone is going through, so smile at that shy freshman all alone in the cafeteria and go say hello. You never know how far a small act of kindness may go.
16. Be thankful for what you do have.
You might not have it all, but it sure feels like it. Be thankful for the family, friends, and experiences you do have and never take them for granted. High school is hard in many ways, but I promise that in a few years you'll be looking back and smiling at all of the good memories you made.
