Dear High School Self,
Surprisingly, there are a few things I've learned about this crazy world in the few years since high school. I'm not just talking about learning how to pull all-nighters and survive on copious amounts of coffee, but actual stuff that can help you survive in this vast and complex, dog-eat-dog world. Here's a few:
One: unapologetically be yourself. If you're constantly concerned about being judged it's going to stop you from doing things you want to. And you'll end up regretting it later, and living with regrets is something that you'll always keep kicking yourself over. The tough truth is, people are always going to judge you, even if they don't know you. I still don't know why. Maybe it's the way society molds us or the way people are portrayed in the media, constantly pinning woman and men against each other in beauty contests or who wore it best contents. Either way, be you. It's better to be weird, outgoing, or a little loud than boring.
Two: If you feel like you don't fit in now, it's okay. Honestly, more people than you know feel this way. High school can seem so small, and when you go to college you're introduced to more people that have similar interests and hobbies. If you don't fit in with the "cool" kids in school, you'll probably be the cool kid when you go to college in the midst of people who are just like you. And if you're discouraged that you have to wait until college to feel this way, just remember high school is four years out of your life. The average life expectancy is around seventy-one years. Those four years are nothing compared to the rest of the fifty or so years you have left to live.
Three: Appreciate your family. They may seem annoying at times or it may seem that they will never understand you, but bottom line is they are your family. When you're going through a tough time or get in a fight with your friends and have no one to go to, they will always be there. And once you go away to college or find a job somewhere else, you'll actually miss them. Yes, you'll still see them on holidays, but life gets so busy that it can keep you from the little birthday parties or BBQs that you used to complain about. And you will find that you actually miss it. So appreciate the time you have with them now and be grateful for the things they do for you.
Four: Don't feel that you have to know what you want to do with your life or who you are. People will start asking you when you're a Junior about your future plans and what college you want to go to. You don't need to know yet. And to be honest, no one really knows at this time in their life. And those classmates who seem to have their life together end up changing their mind in college about what they want do anyways. High school and college are periods of growth. You may not find who you're supposed to be, but you will learn more about yourself than you ever knew you could.
So, honestly enjoy being young. It sounds cliche, I know, but as you get older you have more responsibilities and burdens. I'm not saying it's all bad and I definitely don't have it all figured out yet, but you have the most amazing times ahead of you, just don't forget to have fun being yourself now.
