If I had the opportunity to travel back in time and speak to my younger self I would undoubtably have a lot to say; namely an enormous amount of advice to guide myself along the pathway to "adulthood." "Don't wish your younger years away!" "Try not to be so self conscious!" "Appreciate the friends that have always been there for you," the list goes on and on. The following serves as the condensed version of what I believe to be some of the most important pieces of advice and tidbits of information to keep in mind while attempting to navigate the turbulence of being a teenager.

1. Beautiful is not even close to the best thing you can be.

2. Under no circumstance does any boy or girl have the right to make you feel like you’re not worthy of his or her attention or affection.

3. Understand and embrace your own unique individuality: your laugh, your charisma and the sunshine that radiates through your eyes.

4. Stand on your own two feet. You’ll be surprised at the weight they can withstand; this goes for the weight on your shoulders as well.

5. Never stop searching for what makes you happy.

6. But don’t allow that search to cripple your ability to create happiness for yourself.

7. Experiment. But if you choose not to, don’t place a negative stigma upon those who do.

8. Love yourself first. When you’re young, one of the easiest things to do is to pour all of your love into someone else. Know that so often those relationships are temporary. At the end of the day there’s only one reflection staring back at you in the mirror.

9. Appreciate your parents. You never know what could happen.

10. Never compromise your values, beliefs or standards for the sake of impressing anyone. Everyone is always going to want to impose his or her opinion on your life choices, but at the end of the day the only one that really matters is your own. Impress yourself instead.