Dear Seventh Grade Self,
There are so many things I wish I could have told you eight years ago as you were starting your first day of seventh grade.
Like someday you'll finally get your braces off (after four long unfortunate years), and that gap in your smile where a tooth decided it would be funny to never grow in will finally be filled.
I want to tell you to hold onto that pink Motorola Razr flip phone forever and to never wear a skimpy Hollister tank top, short-shorts and UGGs to a middle school dance (or anywhere)... You don't need that attention. You're twelve. You won't even need that attention at 20.
I think I also need to take this time to talk about your use of Facebook.
I will start on the topic of comments: You don't need to repeatedly say "LOLOLOLOL hahahahahahaha" with 356 exclamation points after to get across that you found something funny. A mere "haha" will do. And youuuu donttt neeeed toooo spellll everyyythingg outt lykkeee thisss. People don't want to read that.
Now onto the topic of status updates: These will come back to haunt you. Everyone else in the entire world also knows that "it's the weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!" and no one really wants to know that you're "going to Starbucks with @blah @blah and @blah!!!!!!!" Your college friends will dig and dig until they find the worst of them and have them resurface for 2,000 more people to see.
You might also wanna chill out with the peace-sign selfies, because these will definitely resurface.
I know you felt that your taste in music peaked during seventh grade, but there actually are better artists out there than Sean Kingston, Akon, and 3OH!3. But never forget that Blink-182 concert you went to for your birthday because they will be back in your life whether you like it or not.
There are also better books out there than the Twilight series. And if you ever go back and watch the movies when you're older, you will realize just how bad they really are.
I want to tell you to wear the crap out of those True Religion skinny jeans with the enormous pockets because those will not be too popular much longer, but I know how much you love them.
Also, you should probably thank Mom and Dad for never letting you get side bangs.
You don't need to be self-conscious of your curves that came in a little earlier than the other girls'. I promise someday you actually will find the beauty in them and you'll realize the girls who teased you were just jealous.
Girls can be really really mean, especially when they are in their preteen and early teenage years. Unfortunately some won't grow out of it, but that's life and you'll eventually learn how to pick true friends.
Finally, don't try to grow up too fast. I know it feels like forever until you'll have your first piece of "freedom" with your driver's license, or until you'll finally be leaving the house to go off to college away from Mom and Dad. But it will all happen before you know it.
And no matter how many times you deny it, you will have some tough days where you'll actually be homesick and wish Mom could take care of all your responsibilities for you.
For now, just enjoy being a kid because I promise you'll miss it.
