To all the girls who think that high school is everything:

It’s not! I remember being where you are right now and just hoping for life after high school. I had all of these dreams and ambitions, but it felt like high school was never-ending. It felt like the drama would be the death of me, the relationships felt like they were the only relationships that I would ever have. Some of this comes from puberty and the hormones that come with it, but a lot of it comes from the unknown. You can’t know what is going to happen after you graduate.

Right now, you are sitting in study hall or in the cafeteria or if you are uncool like I was, you are spending that free time in the library or somewhere else. I had good friends but I was less socially apt than they were and let them have fun on their free periods while I buried my nose in a book or hung out with the teachers (uncool, I know). Believe me, I know what is going through your head right now, because it went through mine during those times too.

You are worrying about that girl who was whispering behind your back in English class. Right now, it is eating at you, not knowing what she said about you. You think that she is spreading rumors or turning your friends against you. I know. I was there. I had those same fears. However, that girl isn’t going to matter once you walk across that graduation stage. Those rumors will mean nothing and in all honesty, they will probably be forgotten in a couple of weeks. After graduation, you will never have to see this girl again or any of the people who turn their backs on you because of her. You just have to push through because when high school is over those fears are going to seem so silly and minuscule.

You are also probably worrying about that boy or girl who you have a crush on. They saw you drop your binder in the middle of the hallway and things went flying everywhere. People laughed. He or she asked if you needed help as you scrambled to your feet with your things. You mumbled something that no one could make out and never even looked them in the eye. They probably think that you are klutzy and unable to speak properly and probably stupid. Or at least that is what you are thinking. They may never ask you out and they may start dating that girl who hates you. However, high school will end and they will be in a miserable relationship while you start your new life, meet the person of your dreams for a lifetime or for a moment, and when you bump into them while you are home visiting, they will look just as miserable as ever while you will be glowing.

That bad grade that you are staring at right now. It doesn’t matter.

That teacher who kicked you out of class for talking too much doesn’t matter.

That kid in your gym class who called you too slow, too fat, too uncoordinated, he won’t make it into the major leagues like he wants and instead will be stuck coaching his kids' little league team and won’t matter in your life again.

That friend who decided to stop being a friend doesn’t matter. She’ll be married and knocked up before you even finish your undergraduate degree.

What I’m saying is, all of those people who you think are going to either make your life so much better or so much worse really can’t do anything like that. High school will end. You will go on with your life and meet so many other people who will impact your life more than you know. However, even those people won’t be able to make your life good or bad. Only you can do that. So, hold your head high, put a smile on your face, read that book other people think is weird, have long conversations with your teachers because they have awesome stories to tell, and just learn who you are at the moment because even that will change. Cherish this time, but don’t let it rule your mind.

Sincerely,

The girl who has been there and made it through.