Dear 15-year-olds,
This will be a year of social awkwardness and lack of patience for parents. You’ll blow off school work because college seems like it’s ages away, and you’ll be dying to be the best you can be, but according to others rather than yourself. You’ll be your own critic when it comes to just about everything. You’ll place more value on friends you think are cool rather than friends you’ll never want to lose. And when you're my age, you'll look back on this year and hopefully cringe less than I do. I was the type of teenager who thought a social ladder was something that needed to be climbed and that my outward image was the only one that mattered. But the age of 15 is a year filled with the mistakes vital to becoming your best self, so don't take it too seriously, because in the end, we all are able to laugh at our ridiculousness together.
Trust me when I warn you to not worry before you need to. Don’t worry about where you and your friends stand in relation to everyone else. Make friends that you can laugh and feel comfortable with—the kind of sleepover-followed-by-going-in-public-no-bra-no-judgement- comfortable. Don’t worry about what you eat or counting calories, because a lot of things taste better than skinny feels, and your body is still willing to forgive you for cheeseburgers and onion rings. Don’t stress about your online presence, because a person is not defined by the amount of likes they receive. Avoid planning ahead until you really need to, and enjoy the fact that you’re at an age where you can just live in the moment. High school really will only get more difficult from here on.
There are going to be a lot of social events, like your first party or some Sweet 16's. Sure, go to that super cool concert. No, this doesn’t need to be the first time you drink, although that’s probably how it will go down. It's neither cool nor attractive to throw back hard liquor because you’ll end up being shipped to the hospital like that one friend or throwing up in the back seat of your moms car (no, really). Also, don’t cling onto a guy when the whole auditorium turns into a dirty movie.
We're sorry to say it, but the generation before you looks down on your type with pity. You can’t yet drive and are stuck with the burden of having to rely on parents or older siblings for rides. You grew up with iPhones when the rest of us cradled our Razr phones like they held the world when we were your age. Years ago, you were too young to understand the Holy Trifecta that was "That’s So Raven," "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody," and "Hannah Montana" ("That’s So Sweet Life of Hannah Montana" for short). And no, watching the Hannah Montana movie and thinking you understand does not count. For you, the words "CD" and "album" are not interchangeable; one is found online and the other is some prehistoric disc.
This year, you don't have to rush to grow up or to follow every trend, because you will reach every milestone in time. Instead, spend your time meeting people and finding out what makes you happy. Push your teenage hormones aside and appreciate your family. Instead of being rebellious, step out of your comfort zone by going on adventures or expanding your interests. Talk to strangers or learn about the world. Make this normally awkward year one that contributes to your personality, and maybe you'll look back with less embarrassment than those who have braved this before you.
