Dear 17-year-old me,

I know you are stubborn and that the only people you want to take advice from are the writers of Seventeen Magazine. I know college is still a far-off dream, and adulthood is something you can't even begin to fathom, but there are some things I want you to know that may make these years of discovery, adventure and heartbreak a little more bearable:

1. It's okay if these aren't the best days of your life

I'm sure you've heard too often that your time in high school is the greatest time of your life and that you should enjoy it while you can. While this may be true for some, I can tell you there are far greater things ahead for you. Don't feel cheated because you aren't the most popular girl in school, or because you aren't valedictorian. So what if you missed your senior prom, or if you didn't go to every football game? There are many memories from your seventeenth year that you will smile back on, and there are things you will be glad to be rid of. Life is more than whether or not you were crowned Homecoming Queen.

2. You don't have to have it all figured out

You may not want to hear this, but 20-year-old you still doesn't have a plan. Whoever said you need to know how you want to spend the rest of your life when you're only 17 is wrong. Honestly, it's freeing to know that you can be whatever you want to be, and that you are young enough to change your mind whenever you feel like it! Don't worry yourself with choosing a career just yet. Feel life out, learn about yourself, and don't let your fears of tomorrow rob you from the joys of today.

3. You will get over your first heartbreak

Right now, it seems as if you'll never get over him. You still play that Taylor Swift song that reminds you of your first date and you can't seem to take off that necklace he gave you. But guess what? One day, you're going to wake up and feel better. You will be able to throw away the pictures, delete his phone number, and your stomach won't drop when he passes you in the hallways. Don't allow this pain you feel stop you from going after real love when you eventually find it.

4. Being beautiful isn't everything

I'm not going to give you the cliché "every girl is beautiful" speech. It misses the point and I know you don't want to hear it because you don't believe it. What I want you to know is that it does not matter if you are tall, short, skinny, fat, curvy, tan, or pale. What does matter is that you have a beautiful soul; a soul that loves others and herself. Looks will not get you nearly as far as heart will, and the sooner you stop pinching your stomach in the mirror, the sooner you can learn to truly be happy.

Love,

Yourself