Dear Me,

I know your slate is clean and you are going into high school soon with the highest of expectations. You are going to meet so many new friends and even a new boyfriend, and things are going to feel perfect.

But somewhere along the road, people are going to break your heart. And you're going to break people's hearts too. Don't be scared to let others in, but be careful on who you decide to. People are going to disappoint you, leave you and manipulate you. But just know that rumors die and people forget. So whatever might make you feel like your world is over, will be over with in a few weeks. Not everyone is going to like you, even though I know you want them to. Don't let anyone make you feel like you are less than them or less than you are.

You aren't going to meet all of your real best friends for a few more years. All the other ones are going to be short lived and you're going to blame yourself, but don't. It will take a lot of trial and error before you find the people that will change your life for the better.

Don't let a kiss fool you and don't let a fool kiss you. You're going to meet a few boys that are going to take a piece of your heart and you are never going to get it back. He might make your head spin and you might mess up your sleeping schedule just to talk to him more, but he's not the one. He's not going to be the person who will be there when everything's falling apart, despite what he may tell you. Don't cry if he isn't worth it, and he really isn't worth it if he makes you cry. But it's going to feel like you're suffocating when he leaves and you're going to cry your eyes out when he finds someone else. Please, just don't compare yourself to her because she doesn't come close to comparing to you.

I just want you to be careful, okay? If you are going to fall for someone, fall hard. That's the best way to learn. Also, remember that most of them you won't even give a second thought to in a few years. Sometimes, all it takes is just time, but I promise you'll laugh later at how blind love made you.

Don't believe anything a guy says to you when he's drunk. And never let a guy talk to you disrespectfully. That will never be okay no matter the circumstance.

When you go to visit colleges in a few years, don't get too drunk and don't kiss more people in one night than you ever have. You don't want to be that girl. And don't think that you need to take the path that everyone else does. Sometimes doing your own thing will be the best thing you ever do.

As I finish this letter, I've come to the realization that you don't need it. Yeah, I'm sure it would be nice to have and I'm sure it would save you from a lot of heartbreak. But you are going to figure all of this out as you go and you are going to learn so much from all your experiences, even the most painful. I'm so proud of you. Just keep going and don't be afraid to find yourself along the way.

Yours sincerely,
You.