Dear 13-year-old me,

It is the year 2017. You are probably shocked that it is finally my graduation year. I am too. I can't believe I've made it this far. Don't get me wrong though, high school brought lots of hardships. You, at 13, haven't experienced a lot of them yet, but I promise, they're on the way. You are going to feel like quitting when you hit these bumps, but thank you for never losing sight of the goal. At 18, I realize how insignificant the past issues were, but at 13, it seemed like the world was ending. Always remember that you are way stronger than you seem and that you can do anything you set your mind to.

Five years is a huge gap. Thirteen-year-old me would not even be a high schooler yet, and here I am, graduating from high school in a few short months. There's a lot that went on in those five years too. I mean, you're going to become best friends with three girls you haven't even met yet. As the senior that I am now, that seems crazy. I feel like I can't live without these girls in my life, yet you don't even know who they are yet. They will bring so much joy (and so many hardships) into your life, and you will be a genuinely happy person once you meet them.

You are going to do things you always thought you hated. Remember how you used to tell yourself you would never cheer? Yeah, you're going to be a cheerleader for most of your high school career. You're actually going to go to the gym and run a few miles. You're going to get lazy with your homework, despite the hardworking mentality you have now. You're going to change a lot, and that's going to be weird for you. All of your interests and hobbies are going to switch and you are going to love every second of discovering new ones. You're going to get into college too!!! I don't want to spoil anything for you, but I know you're going to be really happy. Your life course will change a lot on you, and this university is something you could never guess as a 13-year-old, but you're going to love it, I promise.

It may all seem scary now, but that is ultimately how life works: Things change and people change. I can't lie to you and say that you're going to love every second of the process because sometimes high school can be tough. Parents are mean. Sisters get overwhelming. Friends leave. But I'm here, as the 18-year-old you, to tell you that you're going to be okay. You will make it out alive, and I bet 21-year-old me is nodding her head along with me. You have a long way to go, but you'll get there, and you will have fun while you do it.

It's 2017 now, and I'm graduating in a few months. How crazy does that sound? You'll get here soon too. And you will have the time of your life while you're at it.