My brother is in 8th grade. He will graduate in May and all at once my sweet, caring, kind, sheltered little brother will be thrown into the shark tank they call high school.

If I could go back and tell my freshman year self all of the things I have learned I would, but then I realized that I can. I can tell my brother everything that I would have told my freshman self.

Dear Jake,

This is it — you are going to be in high school soon. I didn't think this would be this hard, but I am tearing up thinking about my sweet little brother trying to make it through four years of high school without his big sister on speed dial, ready to threaten any senior boy that thinks he can mess with you or any girl that tries to break your heart. I have watched you grow into the loyal, compassionate, and kindhearted man you are, and I could not be more proud of you. Thinking back to my own high school experience, here is what I have to say to you, my sweet brother who is growing up way too fast. I want you to have the best high school experience you can have.

1. Get involved.

I don't care what people say, getting involved in school is cool. Play sports, run for ASB president and play in the band. It doesn't matter. Do it all. Not only will this simple act of getting involved help make you a more well-rounded candidate for colleges in the near future, you will also undoubtedly meet individuals you would never meet on a regular basis. And I can promise you that they will become your best friends because they are involved in the same activities as you.

2. Drinking is not cool.

I pray every day that you do not get caught up in a crowd that thinks getting drunk on the weekends is fun. There is nothing fun or cool about drinking underage. Nothing good ever happens in those situations, and I can promise that you one night is not worth losing everything. You might think that sounds dramatic, but I have seen it happen. I have seen young teenagers with their entire life ahead of them destroyed because of one "fun" night.

3. The cool group will change.

Following up on my previous statement, I pray every day that you find friends that are kind and compassionate just like you. I pray that they are good influences and love you for your personality and not how many parties you go to on the weekends. And I especially pray that they point you towards Jesus.

What I am tying to say is that it does not matter if your best friend was the homecoming prince last year or if your group sits at the cool table at lunch, because I can promise you from experience that the cool group will change. Girls will fight, boys will argue, and the groups will shift. The only thing that stays the same is your heart and the genuine friendships you build with your classmates. Don't get caught up with being in the "popular" group because there really isn't one. And if there is, no one will remember who they were 5 years after high school.

4. Do not have sex.

God intended sex to be for marriage. That's all I have to say about that.

5. Make friends/ respect your teachers.

I can promise you, from experience, this comes in handy. Not only when your grade is 89.4 and you really need an A, but because you always want to be known for the respectful human being I know you are.

6. Don't cheat on tests.

I wont give you the speech about failing the class because that speaks for itself, but I will give you the speech that your reputation matters. Your reputation with adults and those in authority matters because they are the generation that will be offering you jobs and writing you recommendation letters...or not.

7. Ask dad to take you to lunch.

Not only do you get a free lunch and (if you're strategic about it) get to miss class, but lunches with dad at our favorite restaurant were some of my favorite times. Don't take living with mom and dad for granted, because soon you'll live in a dorm eating ramen noodles for lunch everyday. Dad was and is my greatest advocate and I know for a fact I could tell him anything at any time.

8. You mean more than what the girl you like thinks of you.

Just so you know, you aren't allowed to date in high school.

Okay, I'm kind of kidding. But honestly, never let a girl define your worth. Never let whether or not a 13-17-year-old girl thinks you're awesome affect your emotions, because high school students will change their mind — and high school students will break your heart. All I can say is don't let your kind and innocent heart be broken by girls that are not worth your time.You are worth so much more than that. And I will break their skulls.

9. Mom will always be your best friend.

It doesn't matter if you need lunch money or advice on girls: Mom is perfect. She is caring, loving, and kind. She is accurate 99 percent of the time. And the other 1 percent is when she tells you to clean your room. I have your back on that one.

P.S. If you don't clean it for a long time she might clean it for you. Exhibit A as to why mom rocks!!

10. God is cool. Really really cool.

I wish this spoke for itself, but it doesn't. Not in high school. You will have so many things going on, day in and day out: football, friends, girls, school (not in that order!). But still. The idea is there. Just know that all of those things mean nothing — they really don't, not without the love and care and the relationship with our amazing and majestic Savior. God is greater than any problem, any football game, and any breakup you could ever imagine, but he is also so wonderful because he understands! He has been through greater pain than we can fathom, and what is even better is that you are his favorite. You have someone who loves you unconditionally, irrevocably, and miraculously. Don't waste that. Don't let the lives of high school students affect your relationship with God. Because God is cool, man. So so cool.