To my younger self,

There is so much I want to tell you, but I need you to experience life a little bit. For the things I can tell you, I will so let me tell you a little bit about yourself.

You are capable of doing anything you put your mind to so, anything you want to try, try it and don’t give up. You’re young now but as the time comes, you’ll come to realize that you’ll be considered “grown up” before you know it. High school comes quickly, and that’s probably the most important time in your life. At age 16, that’s when everything probably comes to you. You got a job after your birthday that year, you start looking into colleges, and your true friends start to shine through. Those next two years from your junior year in high school and your senior year in high school will probably be the most fun two years. You’re happy, living your life, and everything is going great. Of course you’ll lose some friends, go through a heartbreak, and go through typical girl drama, but that's what teaches you to live.

I’ll quickly tell you that high school are the best years of your life and you should not take it for granted. High school is an experience you’ll never forget and want to relive over and over again. You’ll want to relive the football games, late nights in the basement with the girls, driving around singing out throwback songs, or just simply going for that coffee run in the morning before the 7:50 am bell. Your friends will give you endless memories, endless laughs, and endless smiles. Don’t forget to one day just stop and take a look around while you can. Enjoy the time you have because high school, just like mom has told you countless times, goes by like the blink of an eye.

College is another time that you don’t want to take for granted. Two years ago you were nothing but a little freshman, unsure of what you wanted to do, not knowing where to go, and being shown all the ropes around campus. Your school will offer you countless opportunities so don’t forget to take one of them some time. You’ll never have the opportunities you have here again so take some while you still can. There will be some people that will come and go throughout your years at school, but the ones that stick? They’re pretty awesome, not going to lie. Your girls are your girls and always stick to that. Don’t go back on your girls because as the years at school start coming to an end, you’ll realize who is truly there for you and who isn’t. The boys will come and go but your girls will always stick through the times with you. Live out the parties, study hard, get your degree, but most importantly, have fun.

You’re in college, two hours away from home, living the life in an off campus house. Really, no one has it better than you. Don’t think that you go off to college and forget everything about home because you will come to miss those family dinners, seeing you best friend everyday, and just simply laying in your own bed. College is great and while you’re away, you should really appreciate all the memories your making because college will come to an end but home will always be home.

Don’t forget to always be yourself and appreciate all the times you have with everyone because you never know when it’ll come to an end. Don’t care what people think of you, do your own thing and I promise it’ll make you a better person. You know what’s right for you, so do what makes and keeps you happy. Not every person you come into contact with is going to like you but that’s okay. Sometimes you need to stop being a people pleaser and do what makes you happy every once in a while. You come first, except your family.

You carry out so much love, so much kindness, and so much care for everyone. Just be yourself and it’ll all be okay. Confidence is a strong value to have and you should always carry that around with you. Hold your head up high little one, life is great and it’s going to be wonderful.

Don’t forget to always be that friend to comfort and support your friends. It’s probably one of your greatest qualities that you can share with other people. Don’t ever let someone take advantage of your kindness, like mom tells you— kindness can be taken as a weakness. Don’t let that happen to you.

I just want you to know that twenty years down the line, you are doing wonderful in life and you have absolutely nothing to worry about. Life is going to take you on some wonderful adventures so don’t forget to stop and take a look around every once in a while. Make yourself happy, keep a smile on your face, don’t stress, and just be you.

Keep being the best you that you can be.

Love,

Your older self.