High school is an exciting time full of growing up, having your first relationship, getting your heart broken, not wanting to listen to your parents, wanting to socialize as much as possible, and forming friendships. All that being said, there are a couple of things that I wish I would've known when I was in high school during some of these phases. Here are a couple of things I wish I knew at the time:

1. Don’t worry about being “cool” or “popular” because it will mean nothing when you go away to college.

In college, you start over on a clean slate. Hardly anyone, if anyone at all, knows you and that gives you a chance to start over and be whoever you want to be. When you go to college, you won’t be known as the popular person you once were. You’ll be treated like a normal person. There are no cliquey popular groups. Most people don't care how cool or uncool you were in high school, it just doesn't matter.

2. It’s okay that everyone doesn't physically look the same as you.

You’re still growing. Some people grow faster than others and that’s okay. You’ll have your chance to shine. It may be later, but it’ll come. Love yourself the way you are and realize not every one is the same.

3. Your high school boyfriend/girlfriend will not always end up being the love of your life, and that's okay.

It’s hard to look past Friday nights when you’re in high school, but remember that you have a whole lot of Friday nights ahead of you. As you grow up and graduate, you change and so does everyone else around you. College changes people, so you have to grow up really fast and jump into a new environment with new people. Sometimes who you love becomes someone who you thought you loved, and that isn't a bad thing. Being in a relationship helps you grow up and learn about yourself.

4. Don't get so caught up on heartbreaks.

Don’t let it consume you so much. It’s okay to be upset for awhile, but realize it’ll make you into who you are someday. There will most likely be more heartbreaks and you will most likely do some heart breaking too. You are young. You don’t have to find the person you want to spend the rest of your life with already.

5. Appreciate your parents!

This is so hard for some people in high school to realize. Although I wasn't necessarily an unappreciative child when I was in high school, I did not give my parents the credit they deserved and I wasn't always easy to deal with. Your parents love you and want what's best for you. They’re not out to get you, they want you to be safe and happy. Everything they do is for a reason, I promise. If you still don’t believe me, come back and read this in 3 years.

6. You have so much more life to experience.

Enjoy high school while it lasts, but more exciting things will come. When I was in high school, I thought being friends with every person and being at every social aspect of it was so important in my life. Although it's fun, people change and you will too. You might have friends that last forever, or you might have friends that you grow a part from and hardly speak to. As sad as it is, it's a part of life and growing up. College brings so many new opportunities.

There are so many things I wish I knew when I was in high school. Like how fast your life can change, how unexpected friendships and relationships are the best kind, how your parents are pretty much always right, and how not everything always turns out the way you plan, but that's okay, you just have to keep going and realize that things always have a way of being the way they're supposed to be. So, slow down, breathe, and enjoy the ride.