When I look back to my high school freshman self, I, like many others, ask myself, “What in the world was I thinking?”. I would give anything to be able to go back and give my 14-year-old self a letter, and if I could, this is what I would say.
Dear 14-Year-Old Me,
First and foremost, I want to tell you that you are enough. There will be countless times throughout these next four years that you’ll question whether you’re smart enough, pretty enough, funny enough, and so on. You’ll always be enough for the right people.
You’re not going to keep the exact same friend group you came into high school with, and that’s ok. You’ll lose friends that right now you think you’ll never lose, and you’ll gain some that will surprise you. All in all, I couldn’t be more thankful for the friendships that high school brought me.
With that being said, drama is so unnecessary. Spend the time you have with your friends laughing and having fun, not wallowing in gossip and stupid arguments. There’s nothing wrong in admitting that you’re wrong and swallowing your pride every now and then. On the other hand, don’t let people walk all over you. Stand up for yourself and your beliefs when needed. Just don’t start WWIII because your BFF says she thinks the guy you like is trash (she's right by the way).
Take your grades seriously! Your GPA right now counts towards college and scholarship applications, so please, for the love of all that is holy, try your best and work hard. You're going to kick yourself for the B you're making in art (yes, art) in a few years.
There are a lot of things I want to warn you of, but I’m not going to, because you learned a lot from the people who hurt you and the mistakes you made. You’re going to have to overcome a few hard times to get to really enjoy the good ones, and trust me, there are a lot of good ones.
Lastly, I know college and your future seems like an eternity away, but I promise it’s not. Your next chapter will be here before you know it, so enjoy your time in high school and at home while you can. It’s not going to be the best four years of your life, but enjoy your last years of real childhood while they are here.
Love,
Your 18-Year-Old Self
P.S.: Chill with the chevron.
