Dear Middle School Allison,

I know that things seem rough right now. You are fighting with your parents, your friends keep leaving you out, and your hair gets greasy two seconds after you wash it. You aren't allowed to hang out with boys outside of school, your clothes never seem to fit right, and boy are you moody.

Years later, I am here to tell you that everything is not as dramatic as it seems. Even though you fight with them, your parents love you. In fact, throughout high school and college, they will become your best friends. They will be there for you when the boy breaks your heart and when your friends seem to thrive on drama. Make sure you laugh at your dad's goofy jokes; you will miss them come college, when you don't get to hear them every day. And the times you get to snuggle up and watch Gilmore Girls with Mom? Cherish them.

Think about the friends that you have. Any that don't make you a better person aren't worth the tears. However, just because they didn't invite you to that sleepover doesn't mean that they hate you. You never know what someone has going on in their life that causes them to act negatively towards you. But those friends that are loyal, make sure that you are a friend to them. In fact, one of the girls you meet in middle school may become like a sister to you in high school, sharing every homecoming and prom, countless sleepovers and baking enough cookies to feed the entire western region.

Do not put "boyfriends" over anyone else in your life. Your true friends will be the ones that are there for you when that boy started flirting with another girl, or when the other boy leaves you after homecoming to find the girl he actually wanted to ask. Just enjoy being in middle school. Wait for the time in college when you meet the man in Comm 250 who will show you what true love is.

Your little sister will be in middle school soon enough, and you will want to defend her fiercely from all of the things that you went through during the awkward years. But just give her all the advice you can and help pick her up when she falls down.

Oh, and one last thing, when you look in the mirror and wonder if your hair-do looks "quirky and cute" or "bizarre," just change it. You'll thank me later.