13 things i should have known at 13 | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

13 Things I Wish I Would Have Known At 13

Turns out, we are not called to be invisible our whole lives.

723
13 Things I Wish I Would Have Known At 13
Christina Thomas

Being a 13-year-old awkward middle school student is never easy. Growing up, I used to wish for someone older in my life who could give me advice that I needed to hear at the time. While my parents may have tried to give me advice, it probably would've been better received coming from someone closer to my age who I viewed as "cool" or looked up to. These words of truth and motivation are exactly what I needed to hear at 13 and sometimes what I need to hear now. Reflecting on this stage of my life has been very rewarding, and I hope you can do the same.

1. It's okay to ask for help

Asking someone to pray for you is good. Letting others speak into your life is good. Leaning on your friends shoulders is good. I cannot begin to tell you how many times I had to re-affirm my self that asking people to pray for me and to just be with me was okay to do. We were not created to be alone in our struggles.

2. Being goofy isn't lame

This is who you ARE. Let yourself be your fun goofy self. Life doesn't have to be serious all the time

3. It's okay to help your mom around the house

It's okay to ask to help, to be apart of what's cooking, to be a hand in anything that you can help doing.

4. Your worth is more than the lies that you hear

You may hear lies that you are not good enough and that your worth is placed based upon your actions, but those voices are wrong.

5. Boys are NOT worth it right now

Sister, there is NO need for a boy in your life. It will do nothing but shatter your heart and send you into a tornado of crazy emotions. Focus your attention on something else. Invest your time into friendships, find a hobby you enjoy, learn to do something new. Boys will always be there, and right now they should not be your main focus.

6. Delete Facebook

I know everyone has it, but you don't have to be like everyone else. The internet can easily consume all of your time and that is not okay. Put forth your time into things that are worth while.

7. If the words your friends say to you hurt, tell them

You're not being lame, and your'e not being a bad friend. Telling others how you feel is a practice that will serve you well for the rest of your life. Don't be afraid of being honest- even if it's uncomfortable.

8.  You don't have to fix all your friends problems

You are a mediator, and that is a gift, but you were not meant to have everyone's burdens placed upon your shoulders. If one of your friends is going through something serious, tell someone who is older and someone you can trust.

9. You don't need to be ashamed of your culture

Your ethnicity and culture is beautiful. Learn to appreciate it and to learn more about it. Those who make fun of you are not worth your time. Don't let the words of other people dictate your feelings.

10. Learn to be thankful for what you have

Material items will not satisfy you. Be thankful with what you have and be quick to offer generosity to those who have less than you.

11. Just because your friends like a certain type of music, doesn't mean you have to also

Listen to what YOU want to listen to. You know what music will fill your soul with joy and what music will make you feel uneasy and gross. You are your own unique person- remember that.

12. God's plan for your life is already beautifully planned out

Right now, it may be very hard to accept that God's plan for your life is the right one. He makes beautiful things out of you, just watch and see how He will grow you into love. Trust Him, it's worth it.

13. You are loved, loved , loved.

Even when you feel forgotten, unworthy, not good enough, broken, tired, and annoyed. You are loved beyond all measure. You are seen, you are not invisible, and you will become confident, bold, and strong.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
girl with santa hat
Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

'Tis the season to be jolly folks, and if you're anything like me, then at the stroke of midnight on Halloween your home went from wicked to winter

Keep Reading...Show less
mistake
Project Eve

Mistakes are something we all make, no matter how old we get. Most of the time, the mistakes we made are little and sometimes due to something out of our control. Yet, there are mistakes that are bigger than others. Personally, I have mistakes that I wish I could go back and undo. Here they are:

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

5 Things To Do That Are Better Than Writing A Paper

Don't waste your time trying to write that paper when there are so many more interesting things you could be doing.

12117
computer keyboard
Unsplash

Writing a paper is never fun and is rarely rewarding. The writer's block, the page requirement, be specific, but don’t summarize, make sure you fixed any grammatical errors, did you even use spellcheck? and analyze, analyze, analyze.

Papers can be a major pain. They take up so much time and effort that by the end of the process you hate yourself and you hate the professor for making life so difficult. Questions of your existence start roaming in your mind. Am I even cut out for college if I can’t write a single paper? Am I even capable of taking care of myself if I lack the energy to open my laptop and start typing?

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

10 Reasons Why Sisters Are The Best

Who could be a better friend than your own sister?

7335
sisters
Taylor Hooper

I can barely remember back when I was the only child. Most would say it’s because it is extremely difficult to remember things as a toddler but I would say it's because I was bored until my sister came along. My mother always says how important the "sister bond" is and with every year that passes I realize how right she is. Instead of writing a novel about all of the wonderful things there are about having a sister I decided to list a few of them instead.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

How To Adult

You're gonna make it after all.

7278
how to adult
Twitter

It is the time of our lives that we are beginning to enter the adult world and most of us, if not all of us, have no idea what we are doing. It's like starting a video game, but skipping the tutorial. We're all just running around aimlessly hoping we accidentally do something right that moves us along the right path. Now that graduation has just happened, or is right around the corner for some of us, it's time to start thinking about how we are going to take care of ourselves once we are on our own.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments