1. It's okay to be insecure.

There were a lot of mornings where I looked in the mirror and was unhappy with what stared back at me. I thought that slathering on a ton of makeup would console me, but it only made me more depressed when I looked at bare-faced models. You don't have to be obsessed with yourself every two minutes, but hey, hats off to you if you are.

Truly believing that you are amazing and beautiful in your own way takes time, and it's not something that happens overnight. Even now, I feel a little anxious whenever I go out without makeup. However, I've learned that beauty is not determined by physical features. Take the time to reflect on the insecurities.

Write a list of what you believe is your faults, and then go over what you love about yourself. Yes, it actually helps and isn't just a cliche Tumblr post.

2. If he makes you cry, he is not "the one."

I've met a lot of boys throughout my four years of high school. Some amazing, some not so much. You don't deserve to cry over someone who wouldn't walk through an ocean for you. If you're constantly depressing yourself by talking to or dating a certain boy, drop him.

No, it's not easy. Yes, it will hurt. However, you are worth so much more than crying yourself to sleep every night over someone who doesn't care about you or your feelings. I wish someone had made me realize quickly that having the same kind of arguments with my boyfriend at the time and never resolving anything was toxic for me.

Love is not always meant to be complicated, and if he does nothing but make it that, it's definitely not worth it.

3. You are not defined by your past. Don't let it haunt you.

The beginning of senior year began with me wondering which routes I could take around my classes to avoid certain people. After about a month of that, my friend reminded me that I was acting absolutely insane. Your past doesn't define you. Stop hiding from the people who hurt you.

You lived through that, and you will live through so much more. Let them see you doing better without them. Also, do not be scared to be friends with someone simply because you're scarred from your past experiences. Not everyone is the same. There are amazing boys and girls out there. Go find them.

4. Karma has a way of working itself out.

I am petty. Severely petty. I had always tried to go after people who had wronged me, whether that be in the form of a subtweet, physically hurting them, or talking down on their name. I soon learned that if what someone did to you was out of malice, karma will have its way of catching up to them.

I experienced this one too many times, once with the same girl over and over. Although it was a lengthy process of thinking that this girl had won, she ended up getting her karma, and in the process, lost a friend. The saying "what goes around comes back around" couldn't be truer.

5. Grades are just numbers. Laugh with your family, spend time with your friends, and go on adventures as much as possible.

Senioritis is real. Don't try to hide it. Instead, embrace the shit out of it. Go out to that Christmas party your friend is having, cut class to hang out with your best friend, take adventures with people you haven't seen in a while, and appreciate the little moments with your family. These people have been the basis of your life in a pivotal era.

Soon, it'll be gone when you venture out for college. The dynamic of your family will change, and so will your friendships. So, for now, live in the moment and go to that basketball game. Yes, your AP Biology test grade is not important in the grand scheme of things.

6. Take the time to get your emotions together: go on a walk, or write in a journal.

When I was going through a rough patch with a boy, I took many walks by myself around my neighborhood. The first walk I ever took around my block, I cried. Then, I composed my thoughts and wrote out the hardest text I've ever had to send. I felt like Meredith in Grey's Anatomy, wanting to scream out "Pick me! Choose me! Love me!"

But after several rounds of editing, I finally wrote out a text that poured all my feelings out. Having the opportunity to connect with my emotions and listen to my favorite Spotify playlist while doing that was therapeutic. You won't look like a loser if you're taking a walk, trust me.

7. It's okay to cry.

I wish someone had told me this earlier before I had an emotional breakdown in a California Pizza Kitchen bathroom at 8 p.m. Pushing aside your feelings is not going to help. Cry about it. Cry for a long period of time. Be mad at the world, say several 'f**k you's' to the wall. I tried not to cry and told myself that I was happy without him.

But my heart was broken and trying to patch it up with a new mentality and unhealthy coping mechanisms wasn't going to fix it. Crying to my friends made it easier. Let the tears flow. However, you need to be ready to pick yourself up because you are better than this

8. Showing that you're not over someone isn't wrong. Take the time to fully get over them. Then, be a better person because of it.

I didn't know what getting over someone truly meant until I finally tried to do it myself. With my past crushes, I had just always moved on, in a weird way. But, this time was so different. He was my great, big 'almost.' I had spent three months with him, getting to know him in ways I had never known a single another human.

Three months may seem like nothing to the average person, but what had gone on during our relationship was what made the breakup so heartbreaking for me. It sure as hell hurt to let him go over something like long distance. It haunted me day in and day out.

It wasn't until I realized that being over someone meant wishing them well in life, but not craving to be with them anymore, that I truly and utterly moved on. Learn from your mistakes. What you did wrong in one relationship will not always repeat itself. Be sad and angry for as long as you can, and when you bounce back, you'll be better than ever.

9. Listen to your parents while they're still around for you.

When my parents and I argue, I tend to overlook their points, thinking that I'm correct and they're wrong because I'm younger and they forgot what it's like to be teenagers. I yell at them, and I get angry really quickly. I'm impulsive enough to the point where I know I'll say something I'll regret later on.

Now, I miss them so much and wish I was home. Listen to their side. Analyze it. They have been through so much more than you, and have gathered so much information on life. They really do know best, no matter how much you may despise it.

10. Working hard doesn't always mean you'll succeed.

I decided during my senior year to take an AP Biology course. In retrospect, that might have been the wrong move. However, by taking that class, I realized that not every test grade defines me. I would study day in and day out and see no results whatsoever. My friends would get the 80s and 90s, and I merely just passed.

You can't be good at everything. But if you know you're trying, and you're interested in what you're pursuing, don't give up.

11. Stop caring what people think about you.

I used to worry a lot about what people thought of me. Was I too thin? Was I ugly with glasses? Did my braces make me look 12? Wear whatever the hell you want, do what you want and say what you want. Even now, in college, I'm still learning that people will talk about you no matter what you do, so at least make it worth it.

Don't filter yourself for the world. Because when push comes to shove, you'll remember those good moments with your friends, your family, and yourself. Eat that piece of chocolate cake, skip a few days in the gym to take a personal day. Hey, you deserve it. It was a rough week.

12. Don't be afraid to fall in love again. Id you can learn to love another person after you loved someone fully and got your heart broken, don't let go.

I've come to the realization that we fall in love with many different people in our lifetime. After my breakup, I was so scared to get back on the saddle and pursue other people because it meant that what I and my ex had was truly over. However, you should not hold yourself back from experiencing new people.

If you had the capacity to love another human, experience heartbreak, and survive that, you can definitely do it again. Download Tinder, speak to that boy in your English class or finally say hi to your friend's cute friend. Give your heart something new to cherish.

13. Cherish your hometown before you leave for college.

If you know me, you know I used to absolutely despise New York City. I completely hated it. I spent most of my senior year complaining how I wanted to get the hell out of it. Now that I'm 255 miles away from home, I miss the city more than I could have ever imagined.

I miss the sounds of the city at night, the lights that illuminate the sidewalks of Times Square, and of course, I miss my one true love, Shake Shack. I wish I had appreciated my city more while I was still in it. Do not neglect your city just because you live in it. Trust me, once you're gone, your home will become so much more important to you.

14. Losing friends is a part of life.

If you had told me a year ago that I wouldn't be best friends with the girl I was with at the time, I would've laughed in your face. Turns out that you can't keep everyone in your life. She had a different path than I did, and thought that cutting me out of her life would make her happier.

At the time, I was hardly bitter, and I don't think I really minded much, only because I had closer friends who truly supported me and wanted the best for me. You're going to distance yourself from certain people during senior year, simply because life is bringing you down two different paths. It's okay. Wish them the best, and move on.

15. Enjoy the stupid high school things while they last.

I never really appreciated the activities my school put on for seniors; in fact, I don't think anyone did. I wish I had gone to more events and showed school spirit instead of neglecting everything they had to offer. Even though I didn't really participate in anything, I still had fun.

However, you should take every opportunity you can to enjoy the few remaining moments with your friends before your life changes before your eyes. You won't look stupid, I promise.

16. Appreciate your best friends.

I am not exaggerating when I tell you I am the luckiest girl in the world to have my two best friends, Simran and Lilya, in my life. They are my emotional rocks when things get rough, and they've seen sides of me that no one else has seen. They can make me laugh like no one else, and our range of conversations are broad.

Sometimes we argue over things we've done, simply because we're looking out for each other, but I wouldn't change it for anything in the world. Enjoy your friend group before you leave for college, and be ready to meet tons of new people who will become your close family. In college, you will meet girls who you will eat, sleep, and cry in the library with.

My best friend at college, Sharon, has become someone I can always rely on, even at 2 a.m. when I'm losing my shit.

17. Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.

Graduation was nothing short of bittersweet. I don't think I cried once, simply because I was so content at that point in my life, and was so ready to start the next chapter of my life. Yes, it was hard to imagine a life where my two best friends and family wouldn't be by my side 24/7, but I was excited to move away.

Although this chapter of my life was over, I left high school with no regrets. Everything had worked out for a reason and that happiness stayed with me for a while. Enjoy every second of this chapter before it truly is over. Let everything happen and enjoy the ride. Everything in your life will fall into place when you least expect it.