The transition from being a grade schooler to a middle schooler is arguably one of the tougher transitions. This is the stage of life where you are trying to figure out who you are and where you fit in. Depending on school districts, middle school can start anywhere between 5th-7th grade. No matter the start time, middle school is a confusing time that has many kids questioning who they are.
It’s never that serious
My time in middle school was one of the hardest stages of my life. Specifically during my 8th grade year I had a lot of struggles finding my place. Looking back at it now, I realize just how many people were going through the same struggles and I just wish that I had known I was not alone. Things like finding genuine friendships, activities you enjoy, and exploring relationships for the first time are very difficult to do when mixed with the attitudes of freshly teenage kids. The first piece of advice I would give my thirteen year old self is to not take anything too seriously. This is easier said than done but I think one of the reasons I was so unhappy was because I read so far into any little interaction I had with people because I was so insecure and felt out of place. If I had just brushed things off and been grateful for the people in my life at the time, I think my mindset would have been a lot more positive.
be yourself
The next piece of advice I would give myself is that it is okay to feel out of place, continue to explore anyways. I was always so scared to try new things or feel judged because it felt like the middle schoolers were the most judgemental bunch. There are a lot of things I regret not doing or trying because I wanted to fit in so badly. I would put myself in situations that I knew I was not happy in just because I thought it was considered “cool”. It is okay to be yourself and it is important to have your own personality. Exploring new clubs and activities is the whole point of being a pre-teen and taking full advantage of new things was something I should have been doing instead of conforming to the expectations I had set for myself.
middle school crushes
The last piece of advice I would give my middle school self is to not worry about finding a relationship. While it is important to explore, attempting to get into relationships should not be the number one priority. I was so hyperfocused on getting a middle school boyfriend because all my friends had one that it became one of the only things I thought about. Looking back at this era now, I am laughing at myself for thinking that riding a roller coaster with my crush was the most important thing to happen to me all of middle school. Relationships are an important thing to explore, but when you are thirteen years old there are more important things to be focused on instead.
