Letter To A Younger Self 

Eau de Teen Spirit

Dear 13 year old me,

This letter was harder to write than anticipated. I had trouble deciding what advice should I give you and whether to give you any advice at all. According to time travel sci-fi movies I have a responsibility not to disrupt the time space continuum. So, no lottery numbers or stock price information.

If all goes according to plan, you should receive this on your 13 birthday. Happy birthday! Welcome to your teenage years. It’s going to suck.

Forgive me for being blunt, but it is the truth. Your teenage years are not the best years of your life and are not supposed to be. They are hormone-infused battle scenes.

You will worry too much. You will not fit in. You will be a geek. You will be lonely. You will feel ugly. You will feel inferior. You will get hurt. You will get depressed. “Clueless” is not an accurate description of a high school experience.

The good news: this too shall pass.

Things are going to get better.

If there is anything I could tell you about surviving what now feels like one long bad hair/eyebrows day it is this: Do not let school kill your creativity. Watching movies and reading books is not a waste of time. Stressing over GPA is a waste of time. Your parents wish the best for you, but are not always right. Go with your gut instinct. So what if you voice shakes a little, public speaking is terrifying for everyone. Teachers are not always nice; take their advice with a grain of salt. Beauty standards are not defined by high school jocks. An individual’s value is not appraised by middle school bullies.

Cheer up my dear girl or should I say young woman.

These may not be the best years of your life, but are certainly the most intensive ones. You will be able to experience the full spectrum of human emotions in just one school day and turn mundane events in priceless writing material. Headphones will have superpowers. Doodling will be an act of teleportation. All friendships will feel eternal, even though only just a few actually survive. Discovering your now favorite bands and writers will look like a real life level up.

***

And when the dust has settled and the battle field has been cleared, you will come out with many life lessons and a few scars. Yes, you will have breasts too.

So cheer up darling, because your body and your mind will be shaped in the midst of that chaotic teenage reality. And one day someone will find them irresistible.

(Wink, wink)

Sending a big universe bending, physics breaking hug,

Your heels wearing, taxes paying awkward self from 2014

P.S. Do not get bangs!

Originally published at restandcreate.com