When people tell me that high school was the best four years of their lives, I look at them like they have two heads. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed some parts of high school. But let's face it; for most people, high school was the worst four years of their lives. Not to be negative, but if you peaked in high school, I probably didn't like you. Peaking in high school means that you partied way too often and had some of the best times of your life when you're just a teenager. It also means figuring out who you are. I didn't really start figuring out who I was until a couple of months into college. Most people have their least favorite memories from high school. Mine consist of drama, nasty people, and a lack of freedom. If I had to tell my high school self anything, this is what I'd tell her.

Dear High School Me,

First, I'd like to start off by saying that it gets better. Yes, I know it's cliche to say, but it's just about one of the truest statements that someone in college could tell someone in high school. I know that you really don't like most of your classmates and I know that it feels like you're never going to get out, but trust me, it'll come sooner rather than later.

By the time you graduate, you're going to be so sick of everyone. In high school, there are a lot of people that just want to cause unnecessary drama for the sake of their own entertainment. If you're friends with people like that, you feel the need to stick with them just because you don't want to be that girl with no friends. If you have no hope for humanity by now, don't worry because I am here to tell you that there are better, more genuine people in college. For some reason, everyone seems to lose their high school persona in college just because they're in a new place with new people and new experiences. The very first day I made so many new friends. But as soon as I got to really know them, I could tell who was going to be there for me and who wasn't. And guess what? You don't have to keep around the people that aren't genuine because you have the people that are going to be there for you. They say that the friends you make in college are supposed to last a lifetime. I'm sure when someone says that, you just roll your eyes and say "okay cool" like the high school student you are, but this is another one of those true statements that adults say to you.

Another thing to keep in mind: those adults that give you advice for boys or college or even just life are right. In fact, most of them are right about most things. I know how stubborn you are, but do not just disregard their advice and take it every once in a while. The reason why they are giving you this advice is because they love you and they've most likely experienced what you are feeling or even doing when they were young and naive. The most important person to listen to is your mother. Moms have so much knowledge on drama and how terrible people (especially girls) can be mostly because they've been in your exact place. Listening to your mom's advice is such a smart move especially because she knows what you're feeling.

I know you think high school is a joke, but please try to study more. Yes, I realize that you want to go home, eat, lounge around, and watch Netflix, but the library is not there for you to just stare at. Stay after school, go to the library, and do your homework. If you don't have anything to do, sit and study or get ahead and start a project. I get that you don't want to stay after school alone (God forbid, because its so "socially unacceptable" to do things by yourself), bring money for food everyday and when you're done in the library and/ or extra help, wait for the late bus to arrive. I get it. I did not want to be bothered. Sometimes, though, you have to put yourself in situations that you're a bit uncomfortable in or don't want to be in. In college, I realized that the library is there for the student's sake and no other reason than that. There are free tutors and other academic resources that you need to utilize and I realize that if I had studied half as hard in high school than I do in college, I would've been a much better student. If I had learned to go out of my comfort zone, high school would be a bit more tolerable.

Be nice to people, whoever they are, however they treat you, or what they look like. You never know what someone is going through and no one knows what you're going through. Even if you don't like the person, be nice. No, that's not being fake. I know exactly what you're thinking; its being mature. When talking to someone who may not be their favorite, a person who is mature would put their emotions to the side and not be fussy or act uncomfortable. If someone looks at you in the hallway, smile at them. Who cares if they go and tell their friends that you smiled at them. Believe it or not, it's not a weird thing to do, even if you're not friendly with them.

One of the only things I regret about high school is not joining a lot of clubs. Again, its not socially unacceptable to be involved. It is so great to have multiple clubs and organizations on your high school transcript. When people ask me what I was involved in in high school I only say two or three things when everyone else says an endless amount of clubs and such like in the student government, Future Leaders of America, the school newspaper, etc. I always feel so left out of the conversation and I don't want you to to feel like that.

Even though it doesn't feel like it now, you're learning so much about yourself and other people. You'll learn that it really doesn't matter what other people think of you and the only thing that matters is how you feel about yourself, how confident you are, and how you look at yourself. Those situations where the spotlight is put on you may feel like the total end of the world, but they're teaching you a valuable lesson about yourself; Those rumors that involved you and your friends that were not true helped your confidence in the long run and I promise, you will not remember any of it. Don't worry about anyone else, focus on your education, take the late bus, study hard, join clubs and listen to other people's advice. High school will be over before you know it.

Sincerely,

College Me