Dear Freshman Shreya,

You're quite the eccentric girl, filled with all sorts of levels of sarcasm, enthusiasm and realism (that really borderlines pessimism). It's kind of funny to think back to the first day of high school when you stepped out of the car and actually took a close look at the large buildings of the school. But now, two years later, you have the entire campus memorized like the back of your hand. I still remember how much you took advantage of open house a few days before school began to get a good look at the interior and understand how the school was mapped out.

Nevertheless, your freshman year is quite eventful compared to most people's, particularly because you learn a lot about yourself. You don't really understand stress within this coming year, but you definitely realize that there is depth to your emotions that no one has ever told you about before. But don't fret; the people you've surrounded yourself with are part of a wonderful crowd, and you'll thank them endlessly for everything they've done to make high school memorable.

I do have to say that from December onward, you have the best time of your life. It's like you're on a rollercoaster that just keeps going up, but you don't feel that pit at the bottom of your stomach from waiting for the fall. There really isn't a downward spiral you have to endure, though you'll meet a few bumps along the way to the top. Sophomore year is a lot tougher than what you are about to experience, though that's something you can worry about after you enjoy these next nine months.

I think those moments of understanding how far you've come really make freshman year worthwhile for you.

In November 2016, you join Odyssey, something you originally thought would be a minor project for you to do on the side while you focus on school. But Odyssey becomes more than just a platform for you to voice your opinions. It also becomes the gateway to numerous opportunities you're fortunate to be given, such as speeches about speaking out, collaborations with fellow authors, articles that reach thousands of devices and a promotion to a contributing editor. All in the span of two years.

You really do a great job of balancing your extracurricular activities and schoolwork, and looking back on how you juggle these responsibilities come midterms and finals weeks, you seem like a miracle worker. That's something I'll always be proud of.

You later have to transfer to the Alpharetta Community because the Milton Community disbands, and you'll be really confused in that small segment of time when you switch over. You go from a very lenient community that doesn't even check for weekly submissions to a team that teaches you to shape up and take on any challenge thrown your way. You even befriend some of the most caring and genuine people you'll ever meet, and seeing them in person makes you appreciate them even more.

With these friendships you make comes the sad truth that everyone takes on different paths, and some of your friends on the team will depart before you know it. That's just a part of life. People will always come and go, but remember that it's the memories that will stay forever, regardless of how cliche that sounds.

That December, you write a letter to your future self about how freshman year is going, and I finally took a look at it a few days ago when I scrolled all the way down my list of articles. If we're being honest, your writing style is nothing like how you write today, but that's only because you learn to improve tremendously over the next two years. I had to take a few moments to chuckle at some of the things you wrote because it seems that you tried a bit too much to turn mundane details into philosophical lessons, but good for you that you aim high.

After the new year, the next big event of your first year of high school happens in March 2017.

You've been told before that your friend group will change rapidly and often, though this doesn't seem to cross your mind as the year begins. Unfortunately, you will face some tough decisions about friendships that make you realize you haven't been putting your needs first. Time apart from these very people actually makes you happier in the long run. You stop talking to one of your friends for an entire year, but when you see her again, you realize that the girl you were when you two went different ways was utterly upset and exhausted compared to who you are at the moment.

More than anything else, I wish I could tell you how important it is to not bring yourself down. Something you tend to do a lot (which you won't be proud of when you come to your senses) is comparing yourself to others, and though you've been told time and time again not to do this, you can't help but rank yourself against the people around you. This really does change a lot about your personality because you start leaning toward shutting people out in fear that you'll be distracted from being at the top.

But Shreya, what you don't understand yet is that no one succeeds by comparing themselves to others. Success is only based on how far you reach in life, and by judging how others' lives turn out, you waste so much of your own time. Don't be the person who is set back by the fear of ending in last place. You're still too far ahead of the game to be worried about something like that.

Enouement is an uncommon word that can be used to describe the feeling I have right now while writing this, the feeling of being able to see what the future holds but holding a certain sadness that I don't have the ability to tell you how it plays out. But this also adds onto the adventure you're going to have in the coming year because I will never be able to stress how much I would love to go through freshman year again.

2016 seems like such a long time ago, even if it's only been two years since then. Have patience if life before you become a freshman seems hectic because you'll quickly get the hang of the whole high school gig. You'll have supportive people all around you to lift you back up when you're feeling down, and by the time May 2017 arrives, you'll honestly feel heartbroken that summer has already begun. It's a bittersweet feeling to an extreme.

But until then, face forward, and march on.

Shreya