Advice to My Teenage Self

Remember yesterday, when you were 18 and a size 2 but still thought you were too overweight to wear a bikini?  Oh, if only we would have appreciated it while we had it.  (Sigh.)  If I could sit down with my teenage self, this is what I would tell me:


1.  Don't be afraid to speak up.  Everyone else has that little voice telling them they'll look silly too.  Ignore that little nag in your head and speak your opinion.

2.  But on the other hand, don't say everything you feel.  Some things are better left unsaid.  Like the time you called the waitress a bitch, because she was.  (If I could have sucked that one right back in, I would have.)

3.  You're too young for a serious boyfriend.  Just have fun with your friends and go on a date when you feel like it, without hoping it will turn into something else.  (Actually, I had this one down.  I was never looking for a boyfriend, buy 98% of my friends were, or were already in serious relationships before we ever got out of high school.  I think it's safe to say nearly all of them regret it now.)

4.  Enjoy your metabolism!  Eat those cheese fries!  You will have plenty of time for dieting after squeezing out a couple of kids.

5.  Don't worry about being popular.  Be friends with people you really like and be friendly to everyone.  If others aren't nice to you, don't worry about it.  After high school, you'll probably never see them again anyway.  If you do, they'll probably be ringing up your groceries.  (Beep. Beep. Beep.)

6.  Think about what you want to do with your life, not just what you want to do on the weekend.  You can always change your mind, but having an idea when you start college will make your path a lot less bumpy.

7.  Don't be afraid of being alone.  Go to movies, eat dinner and just hang out by yourself every once in awhile.  You won't get much of that time as an adult.  It will also give you a chance to learn who you are.

8.  Never, ever perm your hair.

9.  Appreciate your complete lack of cellulite.  Buy the bikini.  Wear it every second you can.  Eat, sleep and shop in it if you can get away with it.

10.  Soak up every minute.  While life gets better in many ways, there is something about those late-teenage years that can never be paralleled.  And you can never go back, no matter how young you dress, act and think.

I wouldn't give up what I have now for ten more teenage years, but if I could bottle it, I would make millions.