As I near my senior year of high school, I decided to reflect on the past three years. This is sort of an "If I could go back and talk to the past me, this is what I would say" sort of deal, so don't take it as serious advice or anything.

• When you are a freshmen in high school, don't try to become friends with upperclassmen. Even if they like you and accept you as one of their own, sometimes, they only want to be friends with you for bad reasons.
• Don't date anyone in your theater department. It will never end well.
• Don't ever date anyone if you don't like them. They will find out, they will be hurt and they will hate you forever.
• Don't ever lead people on, even if you think you're somehow being nice while doing it. It's not. It's horrible, and you'll feel horrible after doing it.
• If someone is quiet around you, that doesn't mean that they hate you. They might just have a huge crush on you and won't even get the guts to tell you until a year later.
• Take a chance. Just do it. Things will go in your direction.
• If you're miserable, THEN QUIT. Staying around isn't going to magically make things better. You're still going to get passed over for parts and disrespected by your director at every turn.
• Don't take script writing. It sounds fun, but it'll just become another opportunity for your director to make you feel like shit.
• Just because you had a negative brush with journalism in middle school, doesn't mean it'll be like that in high school. You'll have an awesome adviser and editor in chief who will help you be the best that you can be, respect your opinions, and who will have faith in you and your abilities.
• Don't let your "best friend" join newspaper. You will find out how truly immature and pig-headed they are.
• Smoking and drinking isn't a big deal. Hiding it from the people you care about is.
• Being an overachiever isn't as effortless as all your older friends made it out to be. You have to work hard, but it's totally worth it.
• If someone's opinion of you depends entirely on what someone else thinks of you, don't even bother becoming friends with them. Weak-minded people are not worth your time.
• Everyone simultaneously doesn't care and cares too much. They don't really matter though; look out for Number 1 and you'll do fine.
• People aren't that bad. Through journalism, you'll reconnect with your compassion, long-lost to cynicism and bitterness. Everyone is struggling, just as much as you are.
• If, for any reason, your friend starts acting like a total jerkass, drop them. You should never tolerate behavior like that.
• If you find out about something that happened in the past that could have hurt you, it probably isn't wise to bring it up now.
• Nobody hates you. You're actually very well-liked, and there are quite a few people who care about you and even look up to you. You're not annoying, stupid, or frivolous. You are, however, extremely intimidating.
• It's not in your nature, but forgiveness and patience are two virtues you'll slowly learn to embrace. Holding grudges only makes the pain last longer, and your impatience, while it tells of your ambition, hurts the people you love.
• Stop being so stubborn. Even if you didn't ask for it, whenever you disregard your friends' advice, it hurts their feelings. They're not trying to control you; they're trying to help you out.
• One of the most painful things that will ever happen is watching the person you love turn into someone you don't even understand.
• Rebuilding your life after everyone who meant something to you walked out is one of the hardest things you'll go through, but you'll get through it.
• Wait. Don't settle for second best. One day, you'll find someone amazing who will make all your years of single life worth it.
• There may not always be boys around to tell you, but you're beautiful, even with your braces, bad haircuts and awkward clothes.