To my freshman year self,

Hi.

You're a freshman in high school. I still remember how I felt, getting ready for my first day, a weird mixture of anxious and excited. I remember wearing my brand new monogrammed L.L. Bean backpack and walking into your first-period Biology, and feeling like you don't know anyone.

I know, everything about high school feels big and scary right now and seeing all of the seniors walking around, who seem so mature is equal parts terrifying and exciting. You wonder if you'll ever be that close with your classmates, or that confident in yourself or your future.

I want to let you know that right now, in this very instant, you are exactly where you need to be. Years from now, you'll find selfies taken at age 14 and laugh so hard at how different you look. Keep on being passionate. Keep on putting all of your efforts into your classes and practices and games. Don't worry too much about looking like everyone else or try to be someone other than who you are.

You don't know this yet, but the next four years of your life will shape and develop you into a person who knows what she wants to do with her life (kind of) and is more than ready for college.

The student section holds some of your favorite high school memories. You're going to miss all the funny moments and stressful times when you're sitting in alphabetical order on graduation day, so take advantage of all of those spirit weeks, curling your hair for school, and being extremely nervous for a presentation.

Make every moment count, from the long nights studying for tests to the early morning practices. Enjoy the awkwardness and the uncertainty and even the stress, hold onto the laughter and the connections with people you've known since you were twelve and revel in the realness of it all.

Graduation comes so much faster than you think, so live out every day fully, from the times you and your friends are all together to just living at home. As a college freshman, I miss being home so much more than I thought I would. In time, you will laugh a lot and love a lot and dream big and take chances and risks and embarrass yourself and be proud of your achievements. I need you to just slow down and find joy in the smallest of things.

Things take time, and in that time you will become the kind of person you would have looked up to as a high school freshman.

Right now, I know high school is the most unknown and intimidating thing you will experience, but I'm happy to let you know that that is far from the truth. High school is not the most intimidating thing you will ever face, and that is a good thing because it means that you have that much more to look forward to. You have so many more mountains to climb, people to meet, and stories to be lived out. The future is scary, but as you get older, it becomes less of a challenge and more of an adventure. Just you wait, the future is bright, and every year is going to be the new best year of your life. I can promise you that.

Sincerely, Your-College-Freshman-Self.