Dear Grade 10 Me:
A lot has changed during these past three years. I’d like to say I grew immensely as an individual but that would be a gross hyperbole. However, I learned many things through the tears, stress, and laughter high school provided me.
Things never go as expected and that’s okay. No one knows who they’re going to be when they first enter high school. You thought you had your life planned out but inevitably, things change. It’s OKAY to do poorly on one or two tests. It’s OKAY if you lose a couple friends because you will definitely gain a lot more. It’s OKAY if you don’t receive the job or scholarship that you worked so hard for, because opportunities are limitless. Not everything goes according to plan and that’s perfectly fine.
Abandon your stubborn attitude!! Truthfully, I’m still working on this one and I feel like I’ll be working on it for a long time. Some situations just aren’t alterable, no matter how hard you try (thank the friends who keep telling you this). Don’t waste your time on people who are willingly ignorant and learn that it’s okay to sometimes turn a blind eye. Dwelling on every situation helps no one, especially not you.
Appearance is definitely not as important as you think. Honestly, no one cares as much about your appearance as you do. Although the compliments are nice, don’t let makeup/fashion/appearance take over your life. I wore my pajama shirt and way-too-baggy black shorts to school today (without combing my hair, whoops) and I didn’t get any extreme judgment, so feel free to wear pyjamas to school anytime.
Take lots of pictures, especially with your friends. No, I’m not promoting 24/7 phone use but definitely try to take a few pictures every now and then! It doesn’t matter if you look absolutely disgusting in the photos or if they photos turn out blurry. It’s nice to have a lot of memories to look back on, especially when you leave for university.
And finally, find enjoyment and gratitude in everything. These three years of high school passed by so fast – the month of May didn’t seem to happen at all? – so make sure to find the silver-lining in all situations.
P.S. Coffee will be your best friend.
Sincerely,
The new, and somewhat improved, you