Dear High School Self,
I know you are a little nervous about starting high school. Scratch that, I mean extremely nervous. But don't worry! You're actually gonna have a great time. You're going to a high school where you know less than 10 people and that completely terrifies you. But you will shortly find out it isn't too bad. You first start eating lunch with your sister's friends and four awesome guys you met in middle school that, to your surprise, you'll be friends with all throughout high school. You will also meet your very first friend who you realize you don't have much in common with but it was nice to know someone in your classes. Come your freshman year homecoming game, you didn't have plans because you barely knew anyone. But then you were introduced to a girl who you never knew was going to be your best friend forever, your person. You bonded with her under the Friday night lights on the freshman hill over Cody Simpson, your favorite teenage heart-throb. Who knew someone could love Cody Simpson the way you loved him too. Since then that girl you met on the hill will be your rock, your companion and your best friend for many years to come. You'll be almost inseparable.
You showed up to high school dance team tryouts and realized your soon-to-be best friend was trying out too. You weren't sure about joining the dance team simply because you hated going to studio dance. You always wanted to skip and never thought you were as good as the other girls. But you decided to join and you completely fell in love with the sport. You will meet all your closest friends on the dance team and you'll keep those friendships for a long time. Your coaches will become not only your mentors and people you look up to, but also your friends and the people you can always count on. You'll start to realize dance is something you love and something you are extremely passionate about. You started to get real good and realized you're a great dancer. You will push yourself harder than you've ever pushed yourself before. You are going to become captain for two years running, which will make you realize you would love to coach dance team when you're older. Being captain will show you how to set a good example for your peers, and you will soon find out that you love being a leader. Dance will become the most important thing to you in high school, but still remember academics are important too!
When it comes to academics, you are so much smarter than you think. The people in your advanced classes will make you feel dumb, stupid and inferior but don't let them get into your mind. And, if people are making you feel that way stand up for yourself and most likely your teachers will back you up. Try harder, actually read all texts in English because you'll later see English will be your favorite subject. Yes, you actually need to go to class to get good grades. You're going to want to skip class over and over because "high school is like so dumb." You're only there for four years of your life so please get your ass to class!
A memory that will follow you for a lifetime is falling in love for the first time. You'll learn how it is to date different kinds of guys. You're gonna find out dating and relationships are not easy. You're going to have to be completely vulnerable and trust your significant other which is going to be difficult for you. You'll learn how it is to take care of someone other than yourself. You're going to experience the beauty and magic of falling in love with someone and you'll also experience the hurt heartbreak. But, you will survive and you will become stronger. You're even going to go through your first pregnancy scare and realize sex isn't a joke and should be taken seriously. Sex is never like how it is portrayed in movies so don't get your hopes up. Sometimes you focus so much on your relationships and forget about your friends, but you will soon see friends are so much more important.
You'll meet so many great people in high school. You'll have a ton of best friends that all play a different factor in your life. You will find your three best friends or your "squad" and they will seem more like sisters rather than your friends. They'll always tell you the truth even if you don't want to hear it (and that is how you know they're true friends). You're going to make great friends with girls who are older than you and always look to them for wisdom and advice. Don't wait until the end of your senior year to appreciate them, start appreciating them now. They will always have your back no matter what. Of course you'll have drama here and there, but all of your friendships will be so strong you can conquer it all.
There is something that will be hard for you to conquer. Being happy with how you look will be a big issue for you in high school. Of course every teenage girl has body image issues, including you. You'll see all the skinny, flat-stomached, long-legged girls on social media and Seventeen magazine and wonder why you don't look as beautiful as them. But the truth is, every girl feels the same way. Every girl is self-conscious and it is perfectly normal to feel that way. As time goes on you'll realize you're unique and beautiful in your own way and you'll learn to love your body.
High school is going to be a roller coaster of emotions, and it truly is going to fly by. You're going to make amazing memories with some amazing people. Don't be scared to embrace your weirdness because that's a huge reason why you're friends will love you. The moment you get your first boyfriend, get your license and turn 18 years old you are going to feel so mature, and you're going to act like an adult and claim to know how everything works in this world. But truth be told, you're still young. Understand that even though you feel so mature and all high and mighty that it's OK to not know what the hell is going on in the world. You have a lot to learn so it is OK if you make mistakes and it is OK if you are wrong. Don't beat yourself up for the mistakes you make in high school, laugh it off! The awkward and embarrassing moments will be the best memories to look back on so don't be too hard on yourself for being awkward.
Four years might seem like a long time but it is really truly going to go by fast. Don't wish over and over again for high school to be over, because when it is, you will kinda-sorta miss it. So take your time to enjoy, screw up, make mistakes and most importantly make memories.
Sincerely,
Your College Self
