Notes to my Teenage Self

Inspired by a linkup Jana from JanaSays, I’ve decided to add a few Notes to my Teenage Self.

Dear Awesome Gal,

The 90s will end at some point, so you need to be ready. Bangs are not your friend, but hair straighteners are. And, at some point, you’re going to have even more red hair that you cannot control, and it will get curlier the longer it gets, oddly enough. Sometimes you will love it, sometimes you will hate it–and sometimes you will have pink hair. Overall, you remember you have great hair and you can rock it.

High school will suck, mostly because of some terribly catty bullying from people in yearbook, of all places, and they’ll lock you in a bathroom. Hey, don’t sweat it, they won’t be around you for too long. People will eventually forget that your Mom told the entire quiz team bus you are a virgin (you’re on the quiz team, I don’t think your virginity comes as a shock to anyone). Eventually it won’t matter that you weren’t born and raised in the same town as the high school, because you are destined for different things.

You’ll have some meaty roles in theatre and you’ll find out that you are an extremely mature and conscientious person by reading the journals you keep as a teen (later in life, of course). You realize that not everyone watches British comedy, nor that everyone gets your dry humor, but that’s fine–you eventually manage to refine your comedic timing. You participate in a few really close to your heart causes and programs and know what you want from life.

You don’t go to prom in high school…You don’t have a grad night at Disneyland… You’ll lose friends (in the course of living life) and that is okay. Keep your head up, everyone is battling their own struggles. Everything is also not as black and white as it may seem, and occasionally a little gray is okay, it keeps life interesting. Contrary to what you’ve been told, it is okay for girls to read comic books, play video games and amass an amazing collection of geeky t-shirts.

At some point, after college (which is pretty awesome, despite some awkwardness) you meet up with an amazing bookgroup in Akron, Ohio of all places and proceed to find the people you should have had in high school. These are your tribe–they’re literate, they karaoke and you learn some awesome lessons from each and every member of the Rubber City Book Posse. Unfortunately, you will have to leave the Akron area, but there will always be a small chunk in your heart for the place where you learned to be you. You will miss those people every day, and not know how to bridge the gap or bring up your utter yearning for them.

You meet the man of your dreams without having to settle, and you’re on your way to all of your other dreams coming true (including annual Disneyland passes). You read, you write, you watch this thing called reality tv and try to find the humor in everything. Because, let’s face it, you’re good at that.

In closing, you survive. And you may not realize it at the time, but every struggle you face as a teen will help you navigate through life.

With much love and support,

Me (aka Future You)

P.S. PLEASE start opening your eyes in pictures. Even if that one eye is a little wonky, you’ll love the result.
P.P.S. PLEASE start getting IN pictures, quit taking them so much–or get an automatic timer so you can be in them, okay?
P.P.P.S. You are awesome.