Dear high school me,

Stop rushing through life. It may seem like the minutes are hours and the hours are days, but soon they will all be nothing more than a memory. High school is not the best time of your life but you should still enjoy the people around you. Soon you will be in a different state than your parents and your friends. The moments you have now will be ones that you will wish you had more of.

Cherish your family. Go grocery shopping with your mom and go fishing with your dad. Yes, even at 5 am. It may not seem like it now, but those moments are the ones you will remember the most. When you miss your parents, you will think back on the laughter and the family dinners. Spend as much time as you can with your parents, invite them places. Ask them to go to the movies with you. Spend as much time as you can with them. Between work and school, the amount of time you see and talk to them will not be enough. When you are laying in your dorm, you are going to wish you would’ve done more and seen them more.

Cherish your friends. I promise you those late-night pizza runs and study sessions are worth it. Those moments of hysteria and tears shed over movies will be moments that you will remember the most. When you run into them, you won’t relive the arguments or the moments of silence. Instead, you will look back on the adventures that you shared. Apologize in the heat of the moment; you do not always have to be right. Tell your friends that you love them. Do not have any regrets with your friends. Even though it may not seem like it, these are the people that helped get you through high school. These are the people who listened to you complain, helped you make it through your tough moments, and even helped you hide a secret pet. When you are in college and struggling to find friends, you are going to wish you would’ve tried harder with the amazing ones you had.

Cherish your freedom. It may seem like you have no control but high school is when you are free to be you. You are not an adult yet, stop trying to become one. You have more freedom than you think. Soon the homework triples, the bills become real, and a job is not just for pocket change. Stop chasing the future and live in the now. You may not believe me, but you will miss the freedom of high school.

Love,

College you