Angelina,

Entering high school might be scary at first, but I want to let you know that it's going to be okay with some tips for you to think about. Many of these things I learned the hard way, but I know you're intelligent and can succeed.

You are talented and a good friend, and smarter than you think.

Listen to your teachers. They studied for many years to have the opportunity to teach you. Teachers also tend to deal with a lot of horrible kids, so act kindly.

Focus on your classes and don’t rush homework just to get done with it. Teachers really do know when you slack on your work, and this may cause them to give you a lower grade. Get your work done before you go out with friends.

When you pick your electives, choose something you're interested in, not just a class that would give you an easy A.

Do your assignments and focus on learning and remembering what you learn. What you learn now will stick with you for a very long time.

If you don’t understand something, don’t be afraid to ask for help. There is no such thing as a stupid question, and teachers are there to help you succeed. Needing extra help or a tutoring session is not a bad thing. Even if you would rather spend time with friends, you need to determine what is best for your future.

Never give up on your passions. If you want to play soccer and get a full ride to college on a scholarship one day, don’t give up. As tired or as sore as playing sports may make you, remember that your wounds will heal. There will always be players better than you and worse than you, so work on yourself and don't compare yourself to others. Practice makes perfect.

You won’t always need the brand new pair of Nikes or the latest iPhone. Material things shouldn’t matter, it’s how you interact with others that people remember. Also, your parents work very hard to provide for you but the new and cool releases are very expensive.

High school is a new breed of people. You will see people doing things that are wrong and sometimes even illegal. Don't succumb to peer pressure and stand your ground. Don’t let anyone boss you around or tell you what to do.

You will need to make some difficult decisions, and sometimes those decisions determine who you stay friends with. You will lose some friends and that is normal.

If something seems off, acknowledge that and decide differently. People will lie and you will have to learn how to test people’s character.

Making one wrong decision can haunt you for the rest of your life. You will have to learn how to say no.

You are not ugly, or weird, or any other hurtful words kids tend to call each other. Kids make fun of others because they are insecure with themselves. Likewise, treat others how you want to be treated.

You will meet lots of people who are very different from you, but different is okay. It’s okay to be friends with different people in different "cliques".

No one in high school knows who they are or who they want to be. If you don’t know what you want to be when you grow up, that’s okay. And if you end up changing your career path, that’s okay too.

Be careful what you say to others, you can never take back your words.

Try not to lie to people. Lies always come back to bite us.

This is the time in your life where you create yourself, and you can be anything you want to be.

Fight for what you believe in and don’t let anyone change your morals. Find the strength to grow within yourself and know when you need to move on to different stages in your life.

Don’t rush your teenage years. I did and I regret it. Having responsibilities is exhilarating, but working isn’t. Adult life is so much more difficult than being in school, so enjoy it while you can.

After high school, no one remembers what you said or who you hung out with. Cliques will diminish and no one worries about the latest gossip anymore.

High school might be tough and you will have to work hard and observe those around you. But you got this.

Through it all, I will always be there for you and I will always love you with all of my heart.