Dear self,

You’ve got a lot on your plate right now. It’s hard, I know. You’re still recovering from a hellish eighth grade full of depression, drama, and heartbreak. Who knew that a middle-schooler could go through so much? Still, you made it out alive. You survived, and you should be very proud of yourself.

You've already endured so much, and I'm proud of you for that.

I know that the transition to high school has been a total culture shock. It’s hard for you to navigate this seemingly adult world, and that’s okay. Life is changing so fast. Last year, you were still passing notes to your crush and posting cryptic Facebook statuses. Over the summer, you had your first kiss and your whole world was shook. This Fall, you went to homecoming with your crush and started dating. You broke up and now you’re already on the brink of another relationship. You’ve gotten more attention from boys in the past three months than you have in your entire life, and you’re feeling overwhelmed. You've been getting all this attention, but maybe you're hesitant to move forward. That's okay. Remember that you don't owe your body to anyone. You’ve been getting all this attention, but maybe you don’t want the all the attention to be from boys. Maybe you want the attention from someone who isn’t a boy, and that’s okay, too. You’re young, you are so young, and you have so much time to figure things out. I’m nineteen now, and I’m still learning.

Life is moving so fast. It's okay to slow down

About that other boy you’re crushing on: slow down. He’s caught your eye, and you’ve definitely caught his, but just think about what you’re trying to accomplish. You already have a great friendship-what more do you need? Are you really in love with him, or are you just looking for someone else to kiss? I don’t mean to sound cynical, but I’ve been in your shoes and I know how friendship can easily be mistaken for romance. I’m telling you this because I want to protect you. I know that dating feels cool and grown-up, but it's not always necessary. Contrary to what pop music, TV shows, and bad teenage romance novels will tell you, you do not need to be dating someone to be happy. You don’t need to find your “other half”. You’re a whole person all by yourself. Life is so much more than just a string of relationships. Dating is cool, but you should love yourself first.

Fall in love with yourself first.

It’s been said the person you are in high school is the person you will be the rest of your life. I disagree. You have so much room for change and growth. You may feel old, but you are so young. You’re still a kid. Who you are now is not who you will be in ten, fifteen, or twenty years. You will be different. And the best part is that only you get to decide what your future looks like. You get to decide exactly who you will become. No one-not your boyfriend, your friends, your teachers, or even your parents-gets to decide for you. You are the author of your own story. So pick up a pen and get writing.

Love,

Your Future Self