what i wish i'd known

Me, circa April 2007, 15 years old

Me, circa July 2013, 20 years old 

(P.S. any selfie I take front on doing a normal smile, makes me look like I have "crazy eyes"...so, I am forced to take awkward looking picture of me making weird faces...ah, such trials)

Dear Teenage Megan,

I know you're 15 and you feel like your world is all about getting yourself into college now that you're in high school.  You're running around between theatre, choir, solos, concerts, auditions, college applications and scholarships, planning your future out meticulously.

Stop.  Breathe.  Whew...doesn't that feel better?

There's so much I wish I could tell you...I mean, you're only 5 1/2 years younger than I am and you may think not much will happen in the next 5 years.  You couldn't be more wrong.

In about a year, you're going to go on the absolute worst date of your life.  Don't worry about it and keep being nice to him, he needs the confidence boost.  However, don't go on a date with him again.  Just, don't.

You know how in your 10 year plan you have?  Just don't worry about sticking to that...you've got a road ahead of you that is 198745024332x better than anything you can imagine right now.

Stop worrying about pleasing the people around you.  It's going to get exhausting at some point.

Don't be afraid to take risks.  The next few years are going to be full of risky decisions you'll have to make.  I guarantee, the risk will be well worth the rewards that you're going to get later.

People keep telling you that these are the "best years of your life."  Yeah, they're wrong.  They are the most "responsibility free" years of your life.  They are the years that help you figure out how you really are.  They are really, really fun years.  They are also really emotional and complicated years.  These years will not define you, but they will shape you into the adult you need to be.  They're good years, however, they are definitely not the "best" years.

The braces will come off someday.  Just be patient.

You're going to get glasses at some point in your life while you have braces, and it will feel like the absolute worst thing in the world.  Not to worry, that is why contacts exist.

I wish I could give you the same good news about acne, but you're a Potter, therefore you will have acne forever.  However, you'll eventually get better equipped to handle it. P.S. start using all natural face products now and save yourself a lot of trial and error with chemicals and sensitive skin.

 You're not fat and ugly.  You just aren't comfortable in your skin yet and that's okay.  You'll get there eventually, but stop hating yourself.

DO NOT EVER STOP WATCHING THE OFFICE.  Seriously, no matter what your friends say about how lame it is, stay true to yourself baby.

People will tell you that you'll never see people from high school again.  This will be true for about 98% of your classmates.  However your best friends, the 2% ,will be with you much, much longer.  And they're the only ones that really matter.

Not only will some of you classmates be your best friends, but some of your teachers too.  Seriously, you're going to have a few teachers who will become like family and they will support you and stand by you for longer than you can imagine.

Most importantly, just give yourself some time to have fun.  I know, you're a perfectionist and a planner.  You can't fathom doing something that doesn't directly correlate with getting you scholarships for college.  While it is SUPER important for you to focus on scholarships and college, you also need time to just be a teenager.  Relax and let loose every once in awhile, it'll make a huge difference.

Sincerely,
Future Megan

Have you ever wished there was advice you could give the younger version of yourself?  What advice would you have loved to tell yourself?