When we’re in our teen/college years, we don’t realize how precious that time is. We think that everything that goes wrong is the worst thing in the world and we are constantly blowing everything out of proportion. I’m sure that there are many people that would give anything to go back in time and have a few do overs, or tell our younger selves things to keep in mind as we grow up. I know I would. If I could go back in time to talk to myself for just 10 minutes, I would love to just say a few things.

1. I would first talk tell myself to stop worrying about your weight so much.

When I was in high school, I didn’t have the best figure. I would get bullied about it a lot and instead of keeping those people’s voices out of my head, I allowed them to drag me down. I was tired of constantly having my weight pointed out and picked on all the time, so I made myself a promise. I decided my senior year that I was going to graduate a semester early and change. I worked out every day and pushed myself more and more. I showed up to my senior prom in a dress that was half the size of my previous prom dress and everyone was amazed at how much weight I lost. As much as I am grateful for those bullies pushing me, I wish that I had lost all of that weight for ME. Not to impress others whose opinions truly didn’t matter.

2. Your first love is not your last.

Like any other girl, my first love was an all-consuming, head-over-heels love. It started out when I was really young and lasted for years. We dated, battled the long distance, but ultimately it wasn’t meant to be. When it ended, I thought my entire life was over and I was going to be alone forever. I couldn’t have been more wrong. When the relationship ended, dating was a little tough and awkward… but it gave me the opportunity to learn more about myself and to meet some amazing people! Don’t ever be afraid to be single, because being single gives you the opening to explore and try new and exciting things. I'm not going to lie, breakups are difficult, but learning more about yourself and expanding your horizon is much more exhilarating!

3. Choose. Your. Friends. Wisely.

I’m completely serious about this; don’t surround yourself with people who don’t have your best interest at heart. Trust me, when you are with a group of people and you see red flags shooting up, LISTEN TO THE FLAGS. Don’t give your all to people who aren’t there to reciprocate. It isn’t fair to you and you will one day regret putting all of your energy into people who are only there to take and not give.

4. Always remember to call your parents.

Call them! This is true especially when you move away. They want to know how you are doing, but if you have parents like mine, they will try to not always call you first. When I first went away to college, my mom rarely called me first. And in the beginning I didn’t understand why but when I finally asked her about it, she simply replied that she didn’t want to feel overbearing, and she wanted to give me the chance to branch out and meet new people and call when I was ready. I realized how much I missed them and how comforting it was to know that they were just a phone call away.

5. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

This can be applied for everything… school, work, home, friends. If you are struggling with something then you should never be afraid to ask for help. It is never a good idea to sit there and push it aside. There isn’t anything wrong with not understanding how to handle a task and ask for assistance. You may think that asking for help means that you are weak or unintelligent, but in reality, asking for help means you are confident and strong enough to know your limits and want to learn something new.

6. Take risks.

Don’t ever let fear hold you back from doing something exciting. It could be nerves from asking someone on a date. Apply for a new kind of job. Spend money to go on an adventure with friend (you can always make up more money! You can’t make up memories). Risk making mistakes. Risk showing your true colors! Tell the person you love them. Doors ALWAYS open for you when you get off the couch and be fearless. Taking risks shows confidence and help you learn something new.

7. Just do your best, it's what matters most.

If you’re like me, stop being so hard on yourself when you mess something up. Acknowledge that you tried your best and try again. The only thing that holds you back in life is YOU.

8. Stop crying over the wrong guys/girls.

I cannot stress this enough. As you get older, you will meet guys/girls that will not treat you well. However, as you are dating them, you won’t realize it at first. I dated this one guy that constantly ate away my self-esteem. He would comment negatively about physical features, my goals for the future, finances, and likes/dislikes. Every fight we had was always blamed on me, and he would bring me down further if I failed at something. One thing I wish I could tell my younger naïve self, stop giving attention and emotions to guys that don’t appreciate you and your flaws. Date men, not immature boys.

9. You don’t have to do what everyone else is doing.

You don’t have to go to parties all the time when you would rather have a movie night. Some of the best memories I have had didn’t include getting drunk. Although I do enjoy my Girl’s Night Out, I have discovered that I love trying new things. Recently, I have tried kayaking, hiking, joined a soccer team, became a writer, learned how to cook (kind of) then learned how to use a fire extinguisher, volunteered. Trust me, if you aren’t the kind of person that wants to drink or party all the time, college has other options. Don’t be afraid to go to a few parties or have fun with friends, but remember to make yourself happy too. I have experienced new adventures, met new and incredible people, and learned about myself by trying something new.