Dear 16 year old me,

Firstly, what were you thinking getting your hair cut like that last year? It looked like someone put a bowl on your head and cut around it. A bob is not good look for someone with a round face. If you’re really going to get a perm, go straight for the spiral. Don’t listen to the hairdresser if she tells you it will look like a poodle – the normal perm will look even worse and fall out with hours. and tthen they may insist on ‘fixing’ it and you will be stuck with half a head of fallen-out perm and half a head of spirals… not the best look.

Now on a serious note. There is a saying that that goes like this…

There are friends for a reason,

Friends for a season,

And friends for a lifetime.

Not all friends are going to be for a lifetime. In fact, most of them won’t be. They’ll be there for a specific reason, or a season. Your school friends will be just for the season of school. Have lots of laughs with them (they’re very awesome and funny). You will learn some important lessons from them, but don’t let them change who you are and what you value.

Listen to your parents. They love you, they want what’s best for you. (And your mum went through a long, painful labour to have you… so be nice! It hurts!) Give them lots of cuddles, because, as grown-up as you think you are, you’re still their little girl. Help out more around the house. Clean up your room, for goodness sake! If you don’t start getting into the habit now, your house will be a mess when you finally move out of home. (By the way, I know you plan to live at home until you’re 25 and have paid off a few years of your mortgage on an investment property, but it may not just be the way it happens… so be ready for that!)

Stay away from boys until you’re mature enough to be confident in who you are. You are yet to truly become who you were made to be, and will easily succumb to the peer pressure and the messages in the media if you don’t stand up for what you believe in.

Enjoy your sister’s company rather than fighting with her over clothes, or whatever it is you fight about. Make the most of having a friend living under the same roof – it’s like being allowed to have a sleepover every night (even on school night’s!). Smuggle her Easter Eggs into her class, because she rocks and will do that for you – even if it freaks out your science teacher.

Don’t listen to those guys who have been at you since grade 8. Don’t let them get to you. There is nothing wrong with your body, and you are more precious than a piece of meat.

Invest time in getting to know your brother. Really get to know him. Yes, you are different, he may seem “cooler” than you, but you’re family and I’m sure he loves you just as much as you love him. Many years will be wasted if you don’t make an effort.

Quit stressing about school. You are one bright pumpkin! Square! School grades don’t matter in the end, as long as you pass (which you will with flying colours!). Stop putting yourself down thinking you won’t get a high enough OP to qualify and apply for the Women in IT Scholarship when you get the chance. You may just get it (I’ll never know!). Oh yes, apply for an IT degree. Make sure you go to your Java tutorial in Week 2 and sit beside the guy sitting one seat away from the centre aisle about half way up. Say HI! He’s pretty cute, will think you’re weird…but it’s worth it. And don’t judge him for his horrible dress sense (we’re talking green shoes with holes, green shorts, purple shirt & blue/orange hat).

Don’t worry about flying when you go on exchange – your plane won’t crash (as much as the guys at Boeing tell you it might). Seriously though, enjoy every minute of it and don’t spend the time wishing it away. Your friends and family will be at home waiting for you when you get back.

Don’t go climbing up onto any chairs in your water-proof skirt. If you were to, for instance, fall…it would tear and you would be broken-hearted (hint hint).

Go easy on your teachers – they have more work than you do. When you do one assignment, they had to not ony mark your assignment, they had to mark at least 30 of them… plus write the assignment and criteria sheet in the first place. They have to write report cards, write lesson plans and sometimes write work programs based on teh sylabus that changes regularly. When you go home at 3 o’clock, they’re often there much much later, and then they take work home with them also. You might get to watch JAG on TV after you’ve done your assignment, but they’re probably still marking assignments so won’t get the chance. They also work on their holidays, and on pupil-free days. Just sayin’.

Find friends who care about you the way you are and don’t want to change you.

Gilmour Girls = waste of time. Don’t touch bourbon. Enough said.

Start trying to turn your negative attitude into a postive one right now. The longer you wait, the harder it will be. Look for the good, be optimistic. There is enough pain, hurts and negativity in the world without you adding to it!

Get to know your Grandma.

Listen to your body. Repeat after me: Listen to your body. When it says “Enough is enough” it means you need some R&R. Do that.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Now finally, I’ve left the most important thing until last: Pull out your Bible, go back to Church. Listen. Read. Open your heart. Pray. Repent. Listen. Thank God. Read. Find Christian friends. Write a journal. LOVE JESUS.

Now go to bed, it’s past your bedtime! (And mine!)

Love from 27 year old me xxx

Linking up with The Hesitant Housewife!

I struggled to find pictures from when I was 16, so these are a few ranging from 15 – 17 yrs… but close enough!