Dear High School Girl Just Like Me,

Don’t fret. Don’t worry. Mama and Daddy are right, it all works out just like it should. Enjoy those four high school years, they are important, but they aren’t everything. Everyone will tell you all along your way to graduation that you will miss these days and that you should cherish them.

Well, they are right, but they are also wrong—cherish the days with those people that you are only with for the season of high school, but you will not miss that place. You will not miss the drama or the same thing every single day. You won’t miss those terrible khaki pants or the way the lunchroom smells. You won’t miss the yelling, slow walkers of the hall or the bathroom stalls that don’t lock. Of course, you miss those teachers that knew how much you hated being in the hallways of school each day but loved you anyways. You’ll miss playing sports even though you are sure you won’t ever miss that disgusting weight room.

But, don’t worry about “not fitting in” with a crowd in high school.

Definitely, don’t try and make yourself into someone you aren’t just to be appreciated by four or five stupid girls who are only worried about drama. You go watch all the sporting events with the boys that you want. Go hunting with your Daddy even if all the other girls think it’s “gross” or “for boys”.

Trust me, when you get to college (even if it is the one you swore you’d never attend and not the one you had always dreamed of) you will find your people—a good mix of them too.

They will be the ones you spend the first semester of college laughing with because you went in the wrong class on the very first day of classes (it isn’t as bad as it sounds; at least you got it out of the way when you did), the ones you’ll stick with at awkward swaps (shout out to you, Alyssa and Sarah), having countless conversations in the car about boys on the way for food (here’s to you, Hannah), finding the perfect big in the most unexpected places (love ya, Isabel), watching every home football game with(you know exactly who you are), and lastly, cheering on the last week before break while everyone is stress-eating over finals.

I promise there is hope - hope for you to be truly happy and accepted and hope for you not to be miserable every waking day you have to go to class and see “those people”. Stay with it. Stay true to yourself. Most importantly, stay faithful in God because He will direct you to the place you belong with the best friends you could ever ask for. You got it girl, dream big!!!

Love,

Me (the girl who made it out of high school)