When I was six years old, I found out my mom was pregnant for the third time, and every night before I went to sleep, I would crawl in my bed and pray that God would give me a little sister. I had to pray extra hard too, because my little brother was praying that the baby would be a boy. Now I joke and say that God obviously loved me more since He answered my prayer.
My little sister is 17 years old now. She’s in high school. She’s driving. She’s taller than me. And she’s got the funniest, sassiest and most outgoing personality of anyone I know. Also, people think we’re twins…which I’m sure will be flattering in like 10 years, but not today.
Now, as I watch her grow up (way too fast, might I add), I remember how fun and how difficult high school was all at the same time, and I start to think about what I wish someone would have told me back then.
Here’s to all you little sisters out there trying to make it through the next four years. And here’s to all of you older sisters who need to be reminded of what your little sisters are going through. But most importantly, here’s to you “Lil Bit.”
Dear Little Sister,
I know I seem ancient to you right now, and you think that high school has changed so much since I was there. But as you walk through some of the craziest, most dramatic and most amazing years of your life, there are a few things I want you to know. I wish I’d had an older sibling to tell me these things. And I hope that one day we’ll both be able to look back on our high school years and laugh at all the memories, the mistakes and the mishaps of our wardrobe. But until then, I hope you’ll remember these 10 things.
Enjoy high school. Sure there will be drama, never-ending classes, failed tests and breakups. But there will also be sleepovers, proms, pep rallies, good report cards and Friday night football games. Don’t get so caught up in all the messiness that you fail to enjoy all of the greatness.
Find a few close friends and stick with them. I know every girl wants to be the “popular” one, but trying to please everyone is exhausting. I promise you’re better off finding a few close friends who will laugh at you when you trip, squeal with you after that cute boy in science class talks to you, shop for homecoming dresses with you and bring you Starbucks when you’re having a bad day. Those are the friends who will make high school worth remembering.
Mean girls are a real thing. It doesn’t matter if you go to public school, private school, Christian school or even if you’re home schooled. Somewhere along the way, you’re going to come across a mean girl or two. As satisfying as it would be to be mean back, the best thing you can do is be nice to her. Think about it. It’s super hard to keep being mean to someone who’s nice to you. And who knows? Maybe she’ll end up being like Sharpay from "High School Musical," and you will end up becoming friends.
Take as many pictures as you can. I’m serious. Take pictures of everything. Even keep the ones you don’t post on Instagram or Snapchat. And don’t delete the ones you think you look weird in, because those are the ones you’re going to laugh at in 10 years. Those are the ones you’ll be glad you held you onto.
Don’t get too hung up on that one boy. Let’s face it. High school boys are cute, but they’re fickle. They change their mind. They’re still growing up, and so are you. So if he’s dumb enough to break your heart because he doesn’t realize how great you are, then you didn’t need to be with someone that stupid anyways. Trust me. There’s more to life than trying to get attention from a guy in tight football pants. (Hard to believe, I know.)
I know you think you’re cool right now, but one day you’re going to look back and say, “Why in the world did I wear that in public?” It’s okay. We’ve all been there.
Your parents are right most of the time. This is the hardest thing ever to admit, and most high schoolers don’t admit it while they’re still in high school. But one day (probably in about four or five years) you’re going to wake up and realize that your parents knew what they were talking about. It’s a painful thing to realize, but you’ll be so much better off once you do.
Don’t rush growing up. As much as you wish you could just graduate and be on your own, don’t wish these years away. Being an adult isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Plus, paying bills sucks.
Be nice to the younger girls. They think you’re the coolest thing since Insta filters. They watch everything you do — the way you dress, the way you talk, the way you caption your pictures, and they want to be just like you. So go out of your way to say hi, or, even better, befriend them. It’ll make more of a difference than you will ever realize.
Don’t ever forget that your older sister loves you like crazy. You’re the super cool high schooler she never was. She’ll be the first to admit that you’re prettier than her, trendier than her, funnier than her, and you look way more athletic when you run while playing sports. But that’s not why she loves you. She loves you because you can always make her laugh, because you’re not afraid to be honest with her (especially when it comes to her wardrobe choices), because you’re gracious to her when she’s being lame and uncool and because you’re forgiving towards her even when she gets on your nerves. You’re the B. Davis to her P. Sawyer, and she wouldn’t change that for anything.