I am terrified. I spend so much of my time being terrified about the fact that you aren't going to be in high school anymore. You won't have mom and dad 10 feet away from you at most times, your weekends won't be (mostly) free of bad temptations, and you won't be surrounded by the town that you've known for 18 years of your life. I know these things are exciting to you, because they were exciting for me. But I don't know if you know how much they scare me.
You are the best thing in my life, my little sister and my best friend. You are to be protected at all costs, if I have any say in it. If I could help it, you'd be followed around by armed guards who would tranquilize any creepy loser who cat-called you at the bars, and would escort you home, watch your drink 100% of the time, and would punch any guy who hurt you or led you on. I don't want any boys to make you cry. I don't want the stress of your classes to take its toll on you. I don't want douche-y frat bros in pastel shorts objectifying you. But I know these things are going to happen, and I know that you are strong enough to handle them. And I'm working on being strong enough to handle them happening to you.
I can't make boys not be horrible, and I can't stop teachers from assigning unreasonable amounts of homework, but I can provide you with a little bit of advice before you step foot on campus to begin your college life. I can tell you that any guy who describes himself as a "meninist" is not worth your time. I can tell you that it is okay to miss home so much you cry in the shower every single day for two weeks. I know that from experience. But I can also tell you to not let your crippling homesickness deter you from going out and making friends, because they are the ones who will get you through the tough times. I can tell you to watch your drink and yell at guys who try to dance with you without asking and to never take a cat-call as "flattery". I can tell you to go to class and do assignments earlier rather than later and to get involved. I can tell you that you should go to the gym and eat kind of healthy to avoid the freshman 15 that your sister threw on in the first days being there. I can tell you to be yourself, and that you should call home a lot, because mom and dad miss you more than you miss them.
But the main thing I can tell you, or desperately plead of you, is to not forget about me. I can ask you not to get so wrapped up in college life that you forget to text me how life is going, or you're unable to ever come visit. I can't ask for minute by minute updates of your life, but I can ask for updates on the big things, and even the small things that don't seem too significant. I can ask you to be safe and to radiate confidence wherever you go. And I can thank you, for being the greatest person in my life. Good luck sis, I know you'll do great.
