Ladies,
You are going to learn a lot over the next couple of years. Being in college now, I have the advantage of hindsight. I have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that high school won't last forever. The good news is that high school won't last forever. Some of the best times of my life happened in high school, as did some of the worst. My senior year was one of the best years of my life. It's something every high school girl looks forward to. Now that I am in college, looking back on my high school life is bittersweet. I love college but I do miss being in high school sometimes.
Know that the mean things people say to you now will not mean a thing later. I cannot stress this enough. Don't stress over them. Be the bigger person and be nice to them, you will regret it later if you don't. The drama that seems to always be going around also will not matter this time next year or probably this time next month. Please, please do not take it too heavy. It's not worth it. Focus on being friendly to everyone. Get to know the people that you don't usually hang out with at school. They may just turn out to be some of the best people you will ever meet. Giving people a chance is part of life; sometimes those people turn out to be a great part of your life, and sometimes they don't.
It's not the end of the world if that boy you like doesn't like you back. You will probably look back later and wonder what you were thinking when you wanted to date him. It's not the end of the world if you don't get the grade you wanted on that test. The amount of likes you get, the times you embarrass yourself, and having the best clothes and makeup won't matter either. There are some things that will matter, though.
Take your grades seriously, but don't kill yourself stressing over them. Dance at prom even if you are the worst dancer on the planet. Go to all of the sporting events that you can, its not the same when you aren't a student there anymore. Participate in pep rallies. Hang out with your friends every chance you get. Make sure you tell your parents that you appreciate them, tell them and your friends that you love them every chance you get. Invest in people's lives and show them Jesus. Pray about everything and everyone. Commit your life to our Savior. These are the things that will matter.
The most important thing I want to tell you is that you are so loved and that you are going to do great things. You are loved by your family, friends, teachers, and most importantly, God. He loves you so perfectly; something that you may never be able to understand. This love, this relationship with the God of the universe that you are so freely able to have, is the most important thing in your life. Don't take it lightly. Don't make it the first thing in your life, make it the only thing. Understand that loving others and making them feel welcome in your life and the Kingdom of God is a big part of your relationship with God. There is no better time than right now to start doing this.
Soon you will be graduating and going off to college or work, and you will be looking back on your high school life. I want you to smile and laugh at the good times and memories that you made, and be proud of the person that you were and the person that you are becoming because of your lifestyle. Mistakes will be made, but you can learn from them if you choose to. One of my professors said "There is no failure, only feedback." Take the feedback and grow as a person because of it. You will soon learn that learning will always be a big part of your life.
Sincerely,
A girl who's been there
