I was talking to someone about Oh Dear Diary yesterday, and she asked “what would you say to your teenage self, if you could talk to her right now?” I ummed and ahhed and eventually said “just… calm down! Boys aren’t everything!”
Today, of course, I can think of loads of things I would say to teenage me.
- Calm down. Concentrate on finding yourself, not finding a boyfriend.
- Oh, he hasn’t responded? Yeah… that isn’t because you were being too subtle.
- Not every relationship you have needs to be The One. There might not even be A One. And that’s fine.
- Some people are gay. Some of the people you know are gay. Some of the boys you fancy are gay!
- You’re a six foot skinny blonde; you should make more of that. Wear clothes that fit a bit better; show off your waist while you still have one.
- Hair products exist, and using them won’t make you into a townie or a bimbo. Likewise: make-up and t-shirt bras.
- Seriously… put a bra on.
- Take responsibility for yourself. Being an adult is a Good Thing, and no-one likes a sponge.
- You will often have to do things you don’t want to do, like getting a job. Some jobs are fun!
- Going with the mainstream occasionally doesn’t make you a sellout and it won’t turn you into a corporate whore.
- Whose permission are you waiting for? If you want to do something, find out for yourself how to do it and… just fucking do it.
- Everyone else is faking it too.