To my sixteen year old self,
I have so much to impart on you. Where do I begin?
Firstly, I need to express two things. Don't get your hair cut short and stop worrying about your GCSE results...you aced them.
Now, with college on the horizon, you need to get your head out of Diary of a Crush by Sarra Manning. Of course it is a fantastic book, but you must know that college isn't really like that and you won't find the Dylan to your Edie on the first day. Or in fact at all.
But you will find some fabulous friends. Here you will make friends for life that will stay with you and understand you more than anybody else ever has. You'll finally feel like you belong and not a spare part. Embrace it and enjoy every minute. You'll laugh daily over silly things and college will surprisingly be the best two years of your life. You may think this will happen at uni, but actually - not so much.
Now, as to not break with tradition from your high school years - you will form inappropriate crushes and inevitably get your heart stamped on quite a few times. This will eventually toughen you to become the ice queen you were always told to be.
I'm afraid to say, you still haven't found anybody special by the age of 24 but you'll come to a point where it doesn't seem much of a big deal anymore.
Be wary of boys Stacey. Don't become a hopeless girl crushing on what is inevitably a wanker. Despite me saying this, I know you will do this time after time as you go gooey eyed over men who don't deserve you.
Oh and I wouldn't worry about your outfit choices on days you know you're going to see them because they really don't notice your clothes - let alone you. Sorry.
Soon you're going to get drunk. A lot. Mostly this will be fun but know your limits. Puking should not be part of a night out or your friends helping you onto the last train home. Don't eat the twix that Polly shoves in your mouth one fateful night because it will end up on the train carriage floor.
I'm afraid you will never get that 'grown up' feeling and also you won't get any taller - so stop holding out on that late growth spurt. Despite this, you will mature tonnes over the next few years and while you will still have your head in a book or a film - you will learn that this is very much a fantasy world. But it's good to have dreams.
There's going to be quite a few ups and downs over the next few years but your best friends will be there throughout. You're made of strong stuff and you will make it through.
Maybe don't give yourself a 5-10 year plan because life doesn't work that way and you'll be sorely disappointed when you're not a journalist by your mid twenties. You are a writer though - so you're still embracing your talent! Keep at it! This will lead you to meeting some great people and having some fun experiences. So enjoy.
If I leave you with anything, it's to appreciate every moment and try not to moan so much as people will pick up on it. You won't listen and will still moan frequently in eight years time I'm afraid but at least I tried.
All the best you delusional weirdo
Your 24 year old self.
No comments:
Post a Comment