Dear Little Sister Who's in High School,
I want to start off by saying thank you. Thank you for being you. Thanks for being my little sister and teaching me more lessons than I ever learned in school. You taught me how to be a good role model and how live up to my potential. You showed me how it feels to care about someone so much that you would quite literally do anything for them. As many times as I have wanted to shake you and yell at you when you are being ridiculous, thank you for showing me what it feels like to really, truly care for somebody. I can honestly say I would not be the person I am today without you.
This being said, you are now in high school. And oh boy, let me tell you, high school can be rough. The fact that my baby sister is being thrown into the world of high school is absolutely terrifying. To put it bluntly, high school can suck at times, but it can also be one of the most enriching experiences of your life. Luckily for you, I've already lived to tell the tale, so hopefully I can help you come out on the other side as well.
First of all, I want to let you know that with the start of high school, you may lose a few friends. I know this sucks and you never thought you could imagine life without some of these people. But sadly, this is inevitable. The good news is, once someone exits your life, it is because they are through contributing to your life. They were put into your life for a purpose, and that purpose is now complete. With the exit of these old friends, will come the entrance of new friends. These are the friends that will be with you through the most important phases of your life, so choose them wisely. These are the people who will be by your side when you have your first kiss, go through your first heart break, take your hardest final and eventually choose where you'll be attending college. These people are very influential so please do not allow the negative ones in.
Something else you should probably know is that as much as mom and dad may get on your nerves sometimes, they do it because they love you. Yes, you are in high school now and this does come with certain freedoms. But remember, no matter how old you get, you will always be their daughter. Along with freedom, comes responsibility. Now that you are in high school, you are going to have the opportunity to do things. New things. New experiences we will call them. Please, please, please be smart. If you do not feel comfortable in a situation, get out of it. Not giving into peer pressure does not make you uncool, it makes you smart, and trust me, it is not the end of the world.
Another thing: please cherish the time you have with mom, dad and the rest of the family. Eventually you will be 18 years old and you will go off to college. Believe it or not, you will miss them when you are gone. Being away from home for months at a time really has made me miss time spent with family, so make it count. I cannot express how jealous I am when you get to go to dinner with grandma, grandpa and the rest of the family. Partly because I miss free dinner, but mostly because I miss their company. Believe it or not, we have a pretty cool family. Oh, and one last thing: never forget to tell them you love them when you hang up the phone (even if you are with your friends).
One last important piece of information. Please don't forget about me. I know I do not live in the next room any more, but I am still your big sister. I want to know everything that happens in your life, right when it happens. A phone call or a FaceTime is never unwanted. I miss you everyday, sis. The memories we have together will never be forgotten and I cannot wait to come home and to keep making memories with you. Remember, no matter what time or day it is or what you need, I am always just a phone call away.
I'll always have your back.
Love you lots.
Sincerely,
Your Big Sister Who's in College
