I know things seem rough right now. I know that a lot of people think you’re too weird, you want your math homework to disappear forever, and it seems like the world is changing too fast. Soon enough, you will be going to high school, and then off to college and beyond. The idea of leaving everything you know behind downright terrifies you, and that’s okay. It’s normal to feel this way. Even those kids who seem to have their lives together feel this way too.

I just want to let you know that honestly, you are probably in your toughest years right now. Sure, the thought of finding a job, going to college, and eventually getting married seems so strange, but that part of life feels easier once you get there. As you keep going through life, and your mind and body develop more, you develop the skills that help you down the road. That’s just a natural part of life.

All you need to know right now is that things do get better. When you get to high school, college, and beyond, all of the little things that seem to matter now won’t really. When you get to be as old as me, what you wear or who you talk to won’t really matter. Trust me; nobody really cares in college if you wear sweatpants more than regular pants or sport a messy bun most of the time.

It’s how you treat people that really counts.

People will appreciate you the most if you treat them with kindness, fairness, and acceptance. Don’t turn your nose up at someone just because they seem a little odd on the outside. These people are the best people to know; you just have to dive in and put in the work to get to know them. These people will be there for you through thick and thin and are the best to share laughs with. Just treat everyone as they were royalty, and you are sure to find these friends.

Seriously though, I’ve learned through the past year that treating everyone with kindness is the best way to make yourself feel more confident in yourself and happier. Make surprise gifts for your friends, help your teachers in your classroom, just do anything that helps the people around you.

You are going to feel a lot happier and not care so much about how other people see you.

I know for a fact that right now, you are a major bookworm. You are diving straight into the likes of “To Kill A Mockingbird,” “The Hunger Games,” and “Harry Potter.” Do the heroes in those books ever have the best of everything right off the bat? Of course, the answer is no. Any dynamic character that is good for a major novel has to work from something, some sort of struggle. Use the bullies to power you through life. Let their harsh words bounce off of your skin, the words only can hurt if you let them get inside your head.

Lastly, never be afraid to tell people how you feel, or what’s going on inside your head. Sure, you’ll probably feel awkward, and you probably are thinking you are going to cause too much fuss, but there are people out there who do care. They care that you feel safe, comfortable, and happy with how your life is.

Chances are, these people probably have been through similar things, and they’ll have a lot of wisdom for you to steal and take with you for life. Letting it all out will feel a lot better; that constant headache disappears after you let the drama escape its cage.

Middle school is only like three years of your life? That’s nothing. You can do it.

Sincerely,

An Older, Wiser Self