They say you shouldn't have regrets. I've done so many things in my life I wish I hadn't, or lack of doing things. They aren't things I dwell on but I'd be in a much better place if I knew then what I knew now.
1. Don't lose your confidence
When I got to high school at the age of 11 I was happy, one of the last times I remember being happy for a very long time. People will say things and you'll take them to heart, don't listen because you'll realise they won't grow up and they'll still be the same by the time you're 21. Be brave, take part in all the things you want to without worrying what people will think.
2. Don't eat so much
A lot of the problems I had in school with confidence came down to my weight. This was partly due to the fact I probably comfort ate but also the lack of exercise. I hated PE because we had to wear shorts and I couldn't run as fast as the other girls. I know that had this not been the case I'd have focused on other things and enjoyed school rather than obsessing over my weight.
3. Work hard on your A Levels
After putting in very little effort into my GCSE's and generally hating school at the time I didn't focus or put the effort into My A Levels that I should have. I simply wasn't interested at the time, made the wrong choices and came out with grades I wasn't happy with. College was one of the best times in my life and I wish it could have been topped of with the grades I should have got and the opportunities they would have given me.
4. Talk to someone
Going back to the age of 13 I began to feel unhappy, this continued and gradually got worse as I saw my friends go away to uni and start jobs. I had a job in a jewellery shop already but it wasn't what I wanted to do, I hate retail and I hate customer service. When it gets so bad you take an extra job just so you have no time to think, just sleep get up again and do a 15 hour day, go and talk to someone. Tell them you're hurting and utterly lost. They might not have the answers you want right now but it'll help you to get on the right track. Something I wish I'd done a lot sooner.
5. Don't give up music
Music lessons are expensive so when I started year 7 and the music lessons were free I couldn't wait. I learnt drums and clarinet, an interesting combination. Learning an instrument takes time and patience, so when you feel like you're getting somewhere don't give all that up because you can't be bothered any more. Stick it out, give yourself options.
6. Enjoy sport
Sport in high school is like being part of an exclusive club. If you were good you got all the attention, if you weren't you got none. The PE teachers always focused on those who were already good, and I wish I'd had the motivation to try harder and succeed with sport. I loved tennis and netball, even played in primary but again lost all my confidence so stopped. Don't worry about anyone else, do what makes you happy and succeed in what you're good at.
7. Remember how much you love to read
As a teenager I would devour books, if they were good I'd stay up all night until they were finished. I remember the last Harry Potter book coming out at midnight, by midday I'd finished it. Growing up and getting a bit lost meant I shut myself away and didn't really do anything for a long period of time. Reading was a way to escape when I was younger and I even enjoyed reading of mice and men for GCSE. Reading as a young child gave me a large chunk of the knowledge I have today and I wish I'd read more as a teenager.
Throughout the time following college I was lost and decided to apply for apprenticeships. I didn't really get anywhere with this and although this wasn't happening at the best time, instead of improving the applications and finding out what went wrong in the interviews I just got more down about the future. Every time you are faced with a set back, look at what went wrong and improve it, hopefully next time it'll go better and lead to different opportunities.
9. Don't take the things you have for granted
When I was about five I got a dog and called her Flossie. Being an only child I was pretty lonely, so if I'd ever had a bad day I'd turn to her to cheer me up. She was the most clever and loving dog I'd ever known, she'd know if you were upset and was my best friend. She died a couple of days before I was due to take my final A level exams and I was heartbroken. I don't dwell on loss or death but it's important to appreciate those you do have, whether they're human or a furry friend.
10. Have Fun!
This is the most important one. There have been times I've said no to things because I hated the way I looked and couldn't face going outside, other times I was just a bit tired and couldn't be bothered to get ready and go out. The things I've said yes to spontaneously in the past have usually led to good things, whether an impromptu night out with friends or a trip away the outcome at the end is usually a good one. I focus a lot on the future and worry about what I'm going to do but it's important to not let things like that affect other parts of your life. Say yes to things you might enjoy, because you probably will have a really good time!
No comments:
Post a Comment