Dear little sister,

Thank you for being my ultimate best friend. Thank you for being my backbone, my shoulder to cry on and the one person I knew I could always count on. Even though there is an age difference, I feel as if I can tell you everything, and you would never judge me, so thank you for that.

As I watch you grow up, it’s scary to me knowing that soon enough, you’re going to experience the same things I did through high school. Heartbreak, friend drama, peer pressure, all while trying to find yourself. It’s going to be scary, not going to lie. At some point in time, not all your friends will get along, and I’m sure you’ll be put in the middle of it. A boy will come along, and you’ll fall head over heels for him, and he’ll break your heart. Your friends will push you to go to your first ever party, and you’re going to sit on your bedroom floor and debate if you should give in or not. It will all be a messy situation, and I hope you find that you can come to me in need of help. Growing up and going through these things that you will sooner or later experience in high school, I learned a few things that I am going to pass on to you.

As for friends, you will not keep all the friends you started high school with. It’s gonna suck, trust me. People grow distant from you throughout high school, and please don’t take it personally. Everyone is trying to find themselves, and sometimes, attitudes clash. One thing you’ll have to learn is that friends can break your heart too. If your friend is not being loyal towards you, don’t keep that negativity around, as much as you value your friendship. You don’t need the stress of knowing you don’t have a true friend. Find the friends you can be yourself around, that you can tell absolutely everything to, and keep them. Value and appreciate your (true) friends in high school, they are sometimes your biggest fans and motivators.

As for boys, you (maybe, most likely) will not find your Prince Charming in high school. Boys will come and go like seasons (Fergie reference), and your heart will be broken at some point. Some girls get lucky and find a very good guy, but those are few and far between. You’re going to have crushes, and let me tell you if you think a boy is cute, stop being a wuss and tell him. You will never get anywhere unless you sometimes make the first move. Also, don’t let any boy treat you like dirt. Throughout high school, I saw too many of my friends go back to boys who cheated on them and lied continuously, and continued to get their hearts broken. If a boy has hurt you, no matter how swaying his words might be, don’t put yourself through that again. Some people deserve second chances, but most of them don’t. Do not go looking for a Prince Charming, let him find you. Do not settle for anything less than you deserve.

As for finding yourself, it’s going to be tough. You’re continuously surrounded by your friends who want you to be like them and go out and party and whatnot (if your friends are like that), and sooner or later you’re going to conform to them. Mom and Dad will push you to be a straight A student and not understand that teenagers can be stressed out too. I want you to understand that it WILL be okay. It may seem like your world is crashing down sometimes, and that feeling will suck, it will. Hold your head up high, and know that you have friends (and your big sister) to support you through every step of the way. You will find yourself, it will just take some time. Take a breath, relax, and try to have as much fun as possible.

With love, your big sis.