Dear 8 year old self,
There are a few things I need to tell you, and some things I need to warn you about. 10 years have passed, and boy, have things changed. If you were to see 18 year old you, you’d be shocked. 18 year old you is strong and smart. So smart, that she’s going to share some important lessons with you.
Care about school.
Right now, you do. You love school so much and you’re going to spend most of your life hoping to become a teacher one day. Soon, however, your love for school is going to fade. You’re going to stop enjoying doing math problems and you aren’t going to read the chapters you’re assigned. Please, whatever you do, do not let your love for an education fade. Build yourself the strongest foundation possible for the future. I promise you will be much more successful if you continue to care. Your future is brighter than you can even imagine, and continuing to care about school is going to help you get there. School is going to get harder, but I know that you can do it. You are so strong and so smart.
Stay close to your siblings.
You just welcomed a little sister into this world, and don’t forget about your brother, either. You’re going to slowly grow farther and farther away from them and when you leave them for good, you’re going to regret that. Even if they don’t want a relationship with you, still reach out to them. Let them know you’ll always be there and you’ll always care about them. In a few years you'll see friends who are super close to their siblings and you're going to be jealous. You'll wish your brother would threaten to beat up the boys who treat you bad and you'll wish you and your sister could have movie marathons every weekend you're home. A close relationship with a sibling is something I’ve never had and something I’ve always wanted.
Do not care about boys.
Honestly, keep your “boys have cooties” mentality as long as possible. Once you start caring what boys think of you, you’re going to struggle in every area. You’ll choose boys over friendships, boys over school, boys over your own happiness. 10 years later and you’ve still never have had a boyfriend, and that’s okay. One day your soul mate will come into your life and everything will make sense. Until then, who cares about some smelly boy with greasy hair and crooked teeth?
The girls who treat you bad now won’t be in your life forever.
Within a few years, these girls will be gone. The girls who used to call you names aren’t going to be in your life in 10 years. Once you graduate you’ll never see the people who treated you badly again. That may seem like forever away, but trust me – it will be here before you know it. Don’t let their words hurt you – you are going to accomplish much more than they ever will and you’ll be a good person, too.
You won’t find your true friends for a while.
In fact, I’m still not sure if I’ve found my forever friends yet. However, the older you get, the better your friendships become. You’re going to meet lovely people one day who will be there for you at your lowest points. Right now your friends may not be that great, but once again - just wait.
Take care of yourself.
Don’t sit on the couch all weekend watching cartoons and eating potato chips. Get outside, run around and don’t eat all that junk. You’re going to regret the way you treated your body in a few years. It just gets harder and harder to lose all that weight you piled on by being lazy. You're going to be full of regret in 10 years over the multiple bags of junk food you've consumed. Stay on your feet while you’re young, and build yourself a healthier future. You'll feel so much better about yourself if you're physically fit. Also - mental health is just as important as physical health. If you need help - get it. Don't make this any harder on yourself than it needs to be.
Make the most of every moment.
Cherish the days without homework. Cherish the lazy Sundays you spend watching Disney movies. Cherish the time you spend with your family. Cherish the time you spend in school. Hold close to everything you thought you’d never miss, because I promise you, you’re going to miss it when it’s gone.
You have a crazy life ahead of you.
Things are going to happen to you that’d you never imagine. These next 10 years are going to be full of change, heartbreak, disappointment – but also full of happiness, joy and new beginnings. I wish you the best of luck in all you do, but I know you don’t need it. You’re strong enough to handle this.
Love,
18 year old you
