BLOGTEMBER DAY 9: Dear Sixteen-Year-Old Me

Wednesday, September 9th, 2015: Write a letter to sixteen-year-old you. Any advice or funny stories?

Dear Sixteen-Year-Old Me,

Normally I'd start a letter with some kind of salutation: how are you, how's it going, how's life... something like that. But I already know the answers to those. Right now you're starting grade 11 and I won't give away too much but things will change. Some will change soon, others will take awhile. Some of those changes are good, others are hard but for the best, a bit just plain out sucks, but most of it is so amazing, I can't wait for you to figure it out and experience it.

I'm gonna keep the rest of this letter pretty casual and just give you some pointers. 

• Now, I know you're out of your awkward/ emo/ hate the whole world phase (thankfully) but you've still got to work on the whole smiling thing. SMILE MORE :D
• Don't put all of your eggs in one social clique of a basket. Hang out with more people than just your usual "squad" (trust me, that term gets big... coin it now!).  You know how they leave and hang out with other people and then come back? Do that. Be loyal to yourself first.
• Stop it with the over saturated pictures looking away from the camera. It's not as cool as you think it is and it was painful looking through those pictures today. But keep on feeling good about yourself. You are beautiful :)
• Take Honi for big long walks. Give her more belly rubs. Sneak her some of your steak. Help her up on the bed and give her the biggest hug. I wish I still could. 
• Mom will tell you this in a couple years but here's a precursory lesson: everyone comes into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Figure out who is who... but it's not who you think.
• EXERCISE MORE. Or well... START EXERCISING!
• Don't worry about not being the "cool kid" or having cool "teenage years". Just be you, whatever that entails.
• DO NOT LET ANYONE MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU SHOULDN'T LIKE THE THINGS YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT! Making stories, creating collages, playing Sims, and even writing Digimon fanfiction. You will meet people who will appreciate you FOR those things, not despite them. Then, you will find outlets to put all those things on display. They are not pointless and you are not silly or lame for doing the things that make you happy, even if its not what anyone else is doing. 

See you in eight,

-Adrianna.