I know life isn’t the easiest right now, but you will survive. High school is just four years that will come and go before you know it.

Please learn to stop procrastinating for the sake of everything good, because it is 2016 and you still are. Keep organizing that planner because it will help more than you know. Learn to study and get ahead while you can. Know college is wonderfully complicated for you. Save all of your money because there will be a point and time where you have to support yourself. Be prepared for junior year because it is no joke and you will help your GPA so much. Take the ACT as many times as you can, and prepare for it. Also, sleeping beforehand would be useful. Keep writing because it will truly keep you sane. Don’t let the stress of school and what you “have” to be overwhelm you. You don’t have to be perfect. The time before you will not be easy, and it gets harder, but you will get so much stronger.

Cherish relationships, stay close to your family and know they aren’t against you, they are just looking out for you. You are loved more than you know. Take all the pictures and videos you want and more because memories are so precious. Spend more time with your dad, he loves you so very much, and you are growing up so fast, don’t forget to let him have time with his little girl while he can. Also spend time with your grandparents, you will never know how important this is. Your little sister is not the worst person on the planet, and you will miss her when you are gone. Yes, you will miss the little annoying clothes stealer. Keep close to her — she will need you and you will need her to survive. Try to be the best influence that you can to her. Don’t forget who you are. Trust your gut and your raising. If you know in your head that it is wrong, then get out quick. Your family and friends will not always be here; be sure to keep them close to you while you can.

Love yourself. This is probably the most important of all. If you don’t love yourself, it will be hard for you to let others love you. As cliché as that sounds, it is so very true. Take care of your body and it will take care of you. Try your best to ignore comments because being made fun of in high school I have learned has become commonality, but you are not alone. The people making those comments will receive their karma, just trust me on this one. A year from now you probably won’t even remember them. Stop body shaming, not globally even, but inside yourself. Again, you don’t have to be perfect! This thought process will drive you up a wall, through the ceiling and send you crashing down. Please stand up for yourself more, it is such a useful life skill and it will help you in the long run. I hope you know you will find people to love you for you are no matter how hard it is to believe it right now. Have fun and don’t worry. You have survived. When this life gets difficult, remind yourself that your track record for surviving is 100 percent and that is pretty good odds.

Sincerely,

Your future self