Dear Former Self,

There are so many things I wish I could tell you about the future and all of the feats you will accomplish in the span of a mere 19 years. I, Future Self, am inexplicably proud of how far you have come in this short amount of time and cannot wait for you to achieve so much more in the future.

You will come a long way from the shy, unconfident child that took the negative words of others a little too personally and tried a little too hard to fit in. Just know that, in five years, no one will care if you hated that song on the radio everyone else was obsessed with. No one will remember that you only owned one shirt from Abercrombie rather than an entire moose-filled wardrobe. And, most certainly, none of the "popular" kids you tried so hard to impress will remember all the times you pretended to be someone you weren't. If only I could travel back in time and assure you that your individuality and happiness are so much more imperative to your growth than others' criticisms.

Another piece of wisdom: take up hobbies that you like, not just ones that seem "cool." If you want to join the school band, pull out your shabby, old flute and audition like the Mozart you know you can be. If you would rather join the Fashion Club than the basketball team, don't hesitate to trade that uniform for a pair of scissors and some fabric. The only regrets your future self (me) will have are the times you denied yourself the privilege of doing what made you happy.

Don't cry too much when the person you thought was your "best friend" turns out to be anything but. People change, as do relationships, and not every friendship will last. Those who truly value you will stick around for the long run, so don't compromise your happiness for the forsaken friendships that were never meant to be in the first place. Eventually, you'll end up where you belong, with people who will truly help you to grow.

I know school is hard, and I know that sometimes you would rather go to bed at nine than stay up until midnight studying for that math test when you have no intention of taking math after high school (and, thank goodness, you never will). Even though you're far more stressed than a kid your age should ever be, just know that your hard work will pay off monumentally. In the future, you will attend the high school of your dreams, where you will meet genuine friends who help you to understand and accept your true, quirky self. Four years later, you will depart for college in an SUV packed to the brim with boxes and bins, unknowingly on your way to meet people you won't know how you lived without.

A little self-confidence goes a long way, and kid, you don't have nearly as much as you deserve. Keep on doing you, and forget all the people who make you feel like the real "you" isn't good enough. I'm sitting here in the future, smiling and wishing that you could see how amazing you really are. Trust me, you will transform into the strong, independent individual you've always looked up to.

I believe in you.

Much love,

Future Self