I wish I could simply give you a look into my life and show you where I am now to prove that everything has worked out perfectly. But since that isn’t possible, this letter will suffice. The summer after senior year and this first semester of college have been crazy, overwhelming, harder than expected, but oh, so amazing. Here are some things I’ve learned that I wish senior-year me had known.

Stop worrying so much.

Just stop it. I know you think you can’t control it, but you 100% can. The things you think about will consume you, so use that to your advantage and think about only the good as much as possible. Get your life together and use your planner. Keep up with things and you will worry so much less about schoolwork and things going on.

Boys are temporary.

No matter how much you love that boy and regardless of the fact that you’d do anything for him, he’s temporary. Yes, you might end up marrying him one day. But that is so far into the future. Focus on your girlfriends, your hobbies, sports, and being around your family. You are so, so young. Do what YOU want, not what would make some 17-year-old boy happy.

Break some rules.

Don’t do anything that could get you killed or arrested, obviously. But go out with your friends and have fun. Lie to your parents once (or twice) if you need to. Go make memories with the people you will be graduating with, because you won’t ever see them after you graduate. Live carefree every once in awhile and suffer the consequences later.

Your real friends will stay your friends.

The girl you’ve known since you were kids and have been inseparable from all of high school will stay your friend if it is a real friendship. Distance will not change your friendship. Two and a half hours is a long way when you’re accustomed to seeing her in every class, but I promise she loves you and will stay your friend. There will be friends you never talk to again after graduation and that is okay. It’s normal. It’s natural. You will find so, so many new friends in college. Don’t stress about the fake friends or high maintenance friends.

You deserve so much more than they may realize.

You are so worthy of healthy, genuine, loving relationships. This goes for platonic friends and romantic relationships. If they don’t see your worth, leave them in the past. Starting college is the perfect time to find new friends and make new connections with people. Leave the fake friends and drama-filled relationships in high school, where they belong.

Change is good.

You don’t know this yet, but the guy you date senior year will not be by your side for freshman year of college. But that is okay. It’s actually better than okay. He wasn’t worthy of your love. He didn’t realize that he had something so hard to come by right in front of him. Eventually, though, he will realize it and he’ll kick himself for letting you go. Be grateful for the heartbreak that will come. It will change you in ways you didn’t think possible, and it is all such good change. You’ll learn so much about yourself and what you want during that breakup. And then you’ll move almost three hours away and be surrounded by the cutest college boys. There will be so many more fish in the sea. That boy broke your heart a month before you started a new chapter in your life, so tell him good riddance. Go on dates with a hundred new guys and kiss all of them. And just remember that everything will work out exactly how it’s meant to and you will be so happy.

Senior year is the most fun year of high school. But college truly is the best four years of your life. So look forward to the future and get ready for the fun that is coming.