At 1:00pm today, 27 years ago, I was born.  Three years until I am 30.  I can’t even believe how fast it feels like time has passed. It seems like just yesterday I was starting grade 10 and falling for my first true love, when in actuality - that happened 12 years ago! 12. Wow.

Now, at 27, what would I tell my former high school self?

Don’t let others dictate your future. Don’t listen to the guidance councilor who tells you that you’re not university material and should consider college since it’s more hands on. Decide that for yourself. (But still go to college because that’s where you will meet your future husband *wink*)

Try harder at sports and don’t just drag ass and do it because it’s something to do. There IS talent there, otherwise you wouldn’t have won all those awards. Don’t stop, keep up with it and join teams throughout college and afterwards. You WILL regret it otherwise.

Don’t go for the older guy. As enticing as he may seem, he’s playing you. He may be the most wonderful, kind and compassionate guy you’ve ever met. But he has a girlfriend and you’re just the toy on the side. Unless you’re willing to step up and call some shots, don’t be “the other girl”: it’s far too painful and will leave you spending many a nights crying yourself to sleep with years and years of contemplating “if things had been different….”. And even though you don’t know it now - but will when you KNOW you’re in love - he will be your first true love and telling him 5 years later will not change anything. NOT WORTH IT.

Your biology teacher is just that. Your teacher. Yes, he may be good looking, only ten years older then you and easy to flirt with, but DON’T. Sure it’s harmless, but it’s wrong. Even when he asks you to go to his house and taking care of his cats while he’s on vacation. Your step-father is a teacher at the same school and when you tell him that you need the car to go to said teacher’s house: it may not be a good thing.

Be a little more careful when drinking. Situations will arise that you’d be better at handling if you weren’t intoxicated. Boys do take advantage of young girls that are really drunk and they DO try and gat away with things they normally would not. And on that note: grade 10 Halloween Dance? Do NOT finish that mickey of Peach Schnapps before bouncing around the dance floor. People WILL remember “the time that you barfed under the bleachers” at said dance. Oh, and don’t call your mother from a friend’s house when you’re COMPLETELY hammered (at 15 years old) and ask to sleep over. She’s not an idiot. She knows you’re drunk. Same goes for your 16th birthday when you pass out on a hay wagon on a friend’s farm and cut the shit outta your face. Telling mom that you fell on a gravel driveway while playing basketball may seem like a good idea, but I think she knows the truth (even though to this day she has not said anything).

Drugs are fun - but BAD. Don’t smoke that joint hanging out your bedroom window before dinner. Just because you can’t smell it doesn’t mean others don’t. Staying awake all night fried on ‘Shrooms is NOT good for your health - mentally or physically. And DO NOT listen to Marylin Manson while on acid. Bad. Bad. Bad. In fact, maybe don’t even experiment at all.

Cheating doesn’t teach you anything. Just because your teachers may be too lazy to change up their tests once and a while doesn’t make it right to memorize an old test. You will not learn anything that way. Caring this on to college is a bad idea as well. Just because you would have failed that college final without knowing all the answers doesn’t make it right. Maybe you SHOULD have failed.

Your mother does know what she’s talking about. You should give her a little more credit. She’s not out to “ruin your life” or control it. She wants what’s best for you and lying and sneaking around is not that. She does know. She will find you and you WILL regret it. Don’t tell her you’re going for a walk just as your friend pulls up in the driveway. Don’t make that call to her while you’re drinking, and for Godsakes - find a better hiding spot for your illegal activities or don’t bring them in the house AT ALL! There is a lesson to be learned. She will reach the end of her rope, you will be kicked out (but forget the fact that she BEGS you to come home) and she will not forget.

Don’t tell that older boy’s girlfriend’s best friend ANYTHING. If you didn’t listen to the above advice to stay away from that older boy, the you better listen to this… even when the girlfriend’s best friend traps you in the bathroom at school and asks you outright if there is something going on between you and said boy - DENY. Take it up with him, don’t leave him in the dark while his girlfriend devises plans to get you BOTH back. He at least deserves to know that he will be served his nuts on a silver patter in a short time.

Your brother is your best defender. Don’t take him for granted. Boys are boys and “say” they will be there for you, but they’re not. Your brother? Always.

Don’t date the gas attendant. Sure it may have been set up and you kinda got thrown into it, but stand your ground and don’t date the guy.  Nothing good will come of it. You cannot help this person and he will become abusive - just like his father. He will lie, cheat and steal from you and in the end use you. He’s dead to you. MOVE ON. Don’t even glance in his general direction.

Some people are good friends and some are not. SOME bullies from your elementary school days can change and become wonderful friends. Others? Just don’t waste your time trying to forgive them; they’re still not worth it. Some GREAT friends that you have will not last. Let them go. Sometimes you just can’t stop yourselves from growing apart, and some you SHOULD grow apart from.

Your 16th birthday would have been better had you remembered some of it!

What would you tell your former high school self if you had the chance?

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