Dear Me At 14,

Some things you can expect in the near future:

Parties.
Independence.
Freedom.
Sleeping in.

Kid, college is filled with so many awesome things. I don’t have Mom and Dad there dictating my every move. I don’t have school at 8 am Monday through Friday, and I go to, and even throw, some kick-ass parties. College is more fun than you thought it would be, it’s just like everyone said it was: full of nonsense and bad decisions. But the one thing that no one is ever going to tell you is how different it is from high school and how much you will miss it. So I’m going to tell you the things to pay attention to, the things to appreciate, and the things to just let go.

Things to pay attention to.

First, please pay attention in school. Some of it might seem pointless: “When am I going to use the area of a circle or why do I care about how to properly cite these books?” Well, I’ll tell you this, you might not need it in real life very often, if at all, but you will need it in college. So instead of ignoring your teachers because you think today’s assignment is dumb, use today to help your life in four years. Trust me, you’ll need it.

Second, pay attention to the people who are really there for you, and those who are there only when it is convenient for them. The people you surround yourself with will have a huge impact on your life whether you know it now or not. They impact your self-confidence and some might get you into some unneeded trouble. Just be careful with who you surround yourself with.

Things to appreciate.

Appreciate the time with Mom and Dad. They won’t be there every step of the way as you get older. Sure, you’ll be able to call them, but sometimes you’ll wish they were there physically. Please don’t tell them you don’t need them, please don’t ask them to leave you alone, and please don’t make them feel unappreciated. They have done so much for you and it won’t be until you start taking care of yourself, that you’ll realize all they did. When you reach 22, you’ll wish you were 14 again.
Appreciate being free. I know, I know, you don’t feel very free. But you are. Trust me. You have so much time to do whatever you want. You won’t have that for long. Soon, you will have bills and constant car troubles and more things to pay for than you thought you would ever need. Appreciate the life you have and stop wishing to be older. It’s not all its cracked up to be.

Things to just let go.

You didn’t get invited to another party? It’s okay. The popular kids laughed at you again? Shake it off. Bud, there are so many more important things than caring about the opinions of the people around you. I know that you want to be a popular kid and want to go to all of the parties, but take this time to figure out who you want to be. You’re 14 and I know that your future is the last thing you want to think about, but the absolute last thing you want is to be 22 and have no clue who you are with no clue what you want for your future. Think about it. Take this time where you feel alone, to figure out YOU.

Let go of the romance you’ve been wishing for. I know that it sucks watching all of your friends with their boyfriends and they seem so happy. But, trust me, those relationships won’t last. The ones that will, are your relationships with your friends. You are so much more independent than to spend your high school looking for a guy to make you feel special. You have so much going for you. You have no idea.

So take a deep breath, chitlin. I promise that things will get better. Just remember, study hard and surround yourself with friends, true friends. Find the people who embrace your awkwardness and it will all work out.

Love,

Future You.