I think it is strange when I realize that I am in my last year of being classified as a teenager. My age no longer fits the tune of “Sixteen Going on Seventeen,” and in a way, that is a little disheartening. Would I go back and re-live my teens again? Probably not. However, I do wish I could write myself a letter so that I could know where I land today.
Here are 13 things I would tell my 13-year-old self:1. Your best friends will change.
It's okay that friends grow apart, and I'm here to warn you that it will most definitely happen. It may feel like your world is crashing down, but everything will be okay. You are never alone.
2. It's normal to doubt yourself.
You are afraid that you will never find success, and that is simply not the case. You are not the only one with this fear, no one around you knows what they're doing.
3. Getting a "B" will not wreck your future.
Your best try may not always end in a perfect grade, but it turns out alright in the end, I promise.
4. You aren't getting any taller.
Sorry about that, you inherit Mom's height.
5. You are not as fat as you think you are.
Seriously. You are the only one looking that closely at yourself, and the mirror has a bad habit of lying.
6. Avoid all of the drama possible.
Most of the drama ends after junior high, thankfully. Still an important point to make.
7. It's not a weird thing to still like Disney at your age.
I'm now in college, and I frequently have conversations about Disney on the regular.
8. You finally have red hair.
It is everything you ever wanted.
9. Do not keep your emotions hidden.
You waste so much time trying to hide how you feel, just be honest. Take a deep breath.
10. You like girls.
Just a heads up!
11. Your quirks are celebrated.
Your pigeon-toed walk is one of the things your friends use to identify you.
12. You do not have to know what you're doing with your life.
You have plenty of time.
13. Life is only getting better.
You do not reach your peak level of happiness in high school.
I wish I could sit down with my 13-year-old self and tell
her that everything she is worried about will not matter in the slightest six
years down the line. I am happier with myself now, that is something my
13-year-old self would enjoy hearing. I even have my life sort of figured out! I survived the bulk of my teenage years
unscathed. I can only hope for my next 13 years to be even better than my
first.
