To My Sixth-Grade Self,
I am currently sitting here in bed on a Wednesday night looking at a picture of you cracking up at your braces, eyeliner, capri jeans, and the level of attitude you just oozed.
When my sixth-grade language arts teacher messaged me asking to write this letter for her current sixth-grade students to read and discuss, I can only think back to how ridiculous you were. Middle school was a BIG deal. You were now one of the older girls on campus and that came with a lot of responsibility in your mind. You had to talk the part, act the part, and most importantly, dress the part of a mature, popular, middle schooler. What I want you to know is this: you were so worried about how cool people thought you were.
You loved reading and writing all the time, but you didn't want people to find out. If they did, the world would surely end, or so you thought. Guess what, sixth-grade self, the world didn’t end. All of your college friends know how much you love writing, how your nose is always stuck inside of a book, and they love you for it. Isn’t that cool? You'll learn in time that it’s cool to be different.
It’s awesome to stand out. It’s awesome to be unique. It’s perfectly fine that you wore high-top Converse when all of the other girls were wearing Topsiders. If you don’t like a certain fashion fad that’s around, don’t wear it. Don’t spend your money on it. Be yourself, and don’t worry about what people think. Looking back, you worried so much about what people thought and never really embraced the awesome, quirky, weird, nerdy, fun self you were.
You should've said thank you to mom and dad more when they dropped you off at the mall or the movies. Gas is expensive, and they are your own personal chauffeurs spending their money doing so. On that note, you didn't respect your parents or take advantage of the time you had with them. They knew what you were going through even if it was years ago. They were in your shoes at one point and you definitely need to remember that. In just a few years, they won’t be there to drive you places. You’ll be away at college and you’ll miss the drives and other things that bother you a lot. Don’t take them for granted. Listen to their advice every once in a while. Years later, you'll realize they were right.
To middle school girls specifically, you don’t need eyeliner, mascara, straight hair, or sparkly eye shadow to be pretty. Actually, you don’t need anything at all to be pretty. You might gets annoyed now when all of the adults say that true beauty is what’s inside of you, but later on you'll realize that it is true. A college girl is telling you that it’s true, so you should definitely listen to that even though you never listen to it when your parents say it.
To middle schoolers in general, popularity is not determined by the number of people that you slow dance with at the dances. Focus on loving yourself, your family, and your friends now. That is what is most important.
You don’t have to write a paper exactly how the example is structured. There is always another way to do something. Make a paper your own. Write (and think) outside the box while you can. Always be creative while still satisfying all requirements.
It’s cool to like school. It’s attractive to be smart. Wanting to do well in class and outside of class is well thought of by teachers, parents, girls, boys-everyone. It is much better to be nerdy than “cool”. It is much better to be ambitious and driven than ditsy.
Sometimes people are mean to you. Sometimes you’re mean to people. Either way isn’t good. It’s important to realize that life is a two way street. The best thing you can do is just try your hardest to be the best person you can be to everyone around you, and if someone’s not very nice, kill ‘em with kindness. This old expression works.
Popular is the worst word ever. Don't use it. Popularity isn't a real thing. Finding a group of friends that love you for you is a thing.
Don't get a Facebook or Instagram now. Wait it out. Your college self will hate you for the pictures you put up during middle school.
Lastly, it only gets better.
Love,
Your college self who is so embarrassed (and humored) at how bratty you were back in the day.
