This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at BC chapter.
“In my younger and more vulnerable years…” Melodrama aside, sometimes I wish I could go back and bestow upon a younger version of myself some of the things I’ve learned over the years. Now that I’m older and just a little bit wiser, here are some pieces of knowledge I wish a 16-year-old me had been equipped with.
- Don’t worry so much about what other people think. Concentrate on being yourself.
- That second cookie won’t kill you, go for it.
- Don’t wait until the last minute. You’re going to be up all night writing that paper.
- Ask questions. No one will laugh at you, I promise.
- Don’t try to please everyone; someone is going to end up disliking you anyway.
- Don’t tan with baby oil. That’s going to be the worst sunburn of your life.
- Don’t try to change him.
- On the same token, don’t beat yourself up if things don’t work out. You’re going to have your heart broken a lot before you find the right person.
- Tell people who matter that you love them. Don’t worry about people who aren’t important.
- Pay attention in class. That’s going to be on the test.
- Your parents are not the enemy.
- There’s a bigger and better world beyond high school.
- Read every book you get your hands on.
- You don’t need to have fifteen best friends. A handful of really great people is worth more than anything.
- Don’t compare yourself to other people, ever.
- Don’t judge other people, either. You never know what they’re going through.
- You don’t have to straighten your hair and wear makeup everyday.
- Sleep. You’ll be awake plenty during college.
- Peer pressure is always going to exist. Don’t lose sight of who you are.
- People are bound to walk out of your life; don’t fight it. You’re going to work for relationships when they mean something to you.
Wisdom comes with age and experience. We all still have a great deal to learn and are bound to make plenty of mistakes along the way. It is important to remember that we are neither perfect nor invincible, and that’s all right. Hopefully the 16-year-old version of me would have been proud of the person I’ve become.
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