Letter to my 16 year old self

I've seen a lot of people blogging and tweeting this, so I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon and write a letter to my 16 year old self:

Dear 16 year old Suz-

You are in the best time of your life. Seriously if you can find a way to slow down time, do it, savor it, because this is going to be one of your best years ever.

Enjoy your free time because each year you will have less and less of it.

Your parents will get you a new car. Your dream car, so don’t complain too much about the hand-me-down Dodge Neon for now.

Try out for cheerleading. You’ll make it and you’ll love it. Keep working out...not just now, but especially when you go off to college. I know it is hard, but it will be worth it.

Stop hanging out with the bad boys. Why do you even like them? Stop sneaking out of the house. It’s so silly and so not worth it.  They are losers...leave them alone.

This year you are about to meet someone that will change your life forever. You will know him when you see him- trust me. Don’t trust the infatuation of the guy you are just so-so about because it gets so much better than that if you just wait.

This summer, enjoy as much time as you can with him. Don’t be scared of love. He loves you too. Don’t be silly and try to make him jealous by flirting with other guys. It doesn’t work and he doesn’t need to be jealous because he so has you and you have him, so just enjoy it. Don’t worry that you don’t fight and don’t try to start one just to have drama like the other relationships around you.

Tell him how much you love him every single day- but don’t smother him. Let him do his thing…he’s a good guy with lots of big dreams so let him pursue them.

You will go through some tough times. Just trust your gut. I still don’t know if we made the right decisions, but either way it will work out. Nothing is the end of the world and you will learn that first hand very soon.

I don’t know if this will work- but on Halloween 1997 do whatever is in your power to kidnap your boyfriend and skip the football game. Call in sick, tie him up with duct tape and shove him in the back of your car, do whatever you have to do, but just do not let him drive at all after school that day. In fact, go slash his tires that morning when you get to school.

If it doesn’t work, don’t worry. It will feel like the end of the world. You will want to give up, but you’ll make it. You’re stronger than you even know. Just get up every day and do the best you can and everything will work out just fine.

Love,
Your 30 year old self

P.S. Try to enjoy college a little more because once you become an “adult” things get pretty boring and monotonous. But don’t over-do it. You still need the degree and decent GPA to do what you want to do.