Being a big sister has many perks, one of them being that I know enough about life that I can share. I have been through it all, the broken hearts, angry parents, mangled friendships, bad grades, slow days, lack of sleep, and even the parties. Now that I'm leaving for college, and I won't be home everyday to help you with the rough patches, or celebrate the good things, I thought I would write you this to help you get through.

1. Just because you start high school with certain friends doesn't mean you have to always have those friends.

2. Go to sporting events, dress the section theme, scream your heart out, because these will be moments you'll miss most when they're over

3. Don't let asshole boys push you around (especially in gym); make sure they know that you can go just as hard as they can

4. If a girl "steals" your boyfriend just know that you don't really want him. If he was really down for you she wouldn't have been able to take him

5. Talk to everyone, not just your friends. No matter how weird people think they are, everyone deserves to have a friend, so be a friend

6. Grades ARE important! Don't think that they don't matter because they do, and your future inevitably depends on it

7. Make good relationships with your teachers, somedays they'll be the shoulder you need to get through the day

8. Take hard classes, and be challenged; the harder the class, the easier the transition will be when you go to college

9. Play a sport, even if it's just tennis, or track. You make the best of friendships through high school sports

10. Being mean will never get you anywhere, and if you're mean, you won't have friends, which will make high school hell for you

11. Make a statement; who cares if people think your shoes are funny, at least they'll have a reason to remember you

12. Partying is fun; but always be responsible with it

13. Just because mom and dad want you to have a job, doesn't mean you have to

14. Love with all your heart, when you show people you care, they will feel closer to you

15. Help people

16. Sing at the top of your lungs with your friends

17. Go on secret trips with your friends that your parents don't know about

18. If your friend calls you crying, go to them

19. If you're at a sporting event and your friend needs to leave, take her somewhere to keep her mind off of it

20. School is important, but so is sleep so make sure if you just need a day off you stay home and SLEEP

21. Find one person and never let them go (as a friendship or relationship)

22. Remember that this is where you are going to always consider home, make it feel like home

23. Smile, even on a bad day

24. Make other people smile, even if that means writing a daily joke on the board for everyone to see each and every day

25. If you hate school, think of ways you could hate it less

26. Make the most of every day, one day the memories you create will be all that's left, make sure those memories are worth having

27. Most importantly, never forget, once a wildcat, always a wildcat

As I look back on my high school years, I think these are the most important things to remember. We can't always have the perfect situations. It's what we make of the situations that matters. Enjoy these 4 years, because they'll be over before you know it.