As a teenage girl, I think I can speak for all of us when I say that I'm tired of striving for something that doesn't exist. I'm tired of being told what is "pretty," and what isn't. The truth of the matter is, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If that beholder has any sense, they'll know that true beauty is something that extends far beyond the surface of one's skin. I know you've heard your mom and grandma say a million times how beautiful you are, because I mean, that's what they're supposed to say, right? Well, they're right, because they truly know you, inside and out. But it's not their approval you're probably seeking, is it?

Nope. Chances are, like teenage girls everywhere, both today and 50 years ago, you are looking for "the one." You know, the one who will accept your flaws and call you beautiful 24/7, even on your worst days. Unfortunately, our generation has been brought up in a world where values and morals are just a tad different than they used to be. Boys care less about your heart and more about your body parts. They spend less time getting to know you, and more time finding ways to use you. It's sad, but so common today.

Girl, let me tell you, you are worth so much more than that. Quit worrying about what these immature, irrelevant, little boys think about you! Do your own thing! Dress up for you. Do your makeup for you. Don't let anybody tell you how to act, dress, think, or be. For goodness sake, don't entertain that boy with the pathetic pick up line in your DM's. You are a queen. One day, when the time is right, you're going to find someone who sees that, and will appreciate every little thing about you. Chasing after a compliment from a teenage boy is no way to live.

With that being said, it goes without saying that you shouldn't compromise your morals to please anyone, especially not a boy. It tears me up inside when I see girls going out with barely anything on, simply to entice drooling little boys. Think about it, if you have to be half-naked for that boy to pay any attention to you, do you really think he cares about you? Do you think he's going to want to hear about your plans for the future? Do you think he'll want to meet your grandma? Uhhhhhh, no. Sure, he's going to say whatever he has to to get what he wants, but that definitely doesn't mean it's sincere.

Don't get me wrong, if you like dressing a certain way, go right ahead! Like dang girl if you've got a great body and are proud of it — YGG show it off!!! But please, don't feel obligated to wear less to get more attention from boys, it won't attract the kind you'll want to keep around. A real man will find you just as pretty in the middle of a Tuesday when you've got a messy bun of three-day-showerless hair, glasses, and a huge faded t-shirt on.

The moral of the story here is you shouldn't live your life hoping to hear a boy, or anyone really, call you "pretty." Think about all the adjectives out there, and what ones you want to describe you. Amazing, intelligent, ambitious, driven, witty, compassionate, genuine, selfless, joyful...the list goes on and on. So stop thinking about what they're going to think, and focus more on what makes you feel like a million bucks. Because the truth is, loving yourself is one of the most important things you can do.