The media frequently highlights our differences, which can, at times, make us feel insecure and inadequate. However, at the end of the day we all have a lot of things in common:
1. We all like to laugh.
2. We have good days.
3. We have bad days.
4. We like to smile.
5. Sometimes, we cry.
6. We have days where we feel lazy.
7. We all want to be well-liked.
We all have more in common than we think!
I've known you your entire life. More than likely I held you in the first three days of it and at least one of us cried. Cousins are truly one of the best things in the world and while sometimes I complain about how many people crowd Grandma's living room on Christmas Eve, I wouldn't trade you all anything.
You are my best friends, the only people who can understand what it's like on Thanksgiving, and you are the spunkiest people I have ever met. But you as so so young, most of you are just now starting your adventures in the public education system. I mean, I'm so very young too. I'm not married, I don't have children, heck, I just started my adult life, but I do want to give you what little advice I have. My dears, these are the things I want you to know.
Like I said earlier, you are young and you have so much in front of you. It's okay to make mistakes, and be a kid, and get your hands messy. Take advantage of your youth and realize because you are young you don't have to have it all figured out right now, when you're 18, or ever.
With so much of your life and so many decisions in front of you, there will be things that scare you. Getting called on for an answer when you weren't paying attention, your eighth-grade vaccinations, walking into the hospital after someone you love had a heart attack, and going off to college, to name a few, will make you think it's easier to run and hide under the sheets.
No matter how much of a 'Big Kid' you are, some days you're going to have to dig really deep to find your bravery. I would be lying to you if I told you that this entire summer--the summer before I start college-- didn't involve me having to carry my bravery with me every day. It's okay that you're scared, but don't let your fear determine how you live your life. Let your bravery (as minuscule as it might feel) be bigger than your fears.
There will be thousands of people who will tell you how you should live your life, but at the end of the day, it's yours.
There will be opportunities that will change your life forever as long as you're willing to take the chance. The best endings have the riskiest beginnings; don't let your life pass you by because you are afraid to take the leap.
Right now I know playing is a part of your daily life, but it won't be forever. The older you get the more responsibilities and technology will take forever. That's okay and completely natural, just make sure when you're given the chance, run around barefooted for hours and play with your cousins.
I know, I know. That is literally the lamest and most stereotypical thing I could have ever said. I probably just lost the status of your favorite cousin, but as the big kid I am I've never regretted listening to my parents and every life lesson they offer.
It won't be easy, but putting Him first is the most important thing you will ever do.
Friends come and go, but family is here forever. You will never look back at your high school years and regret spending the day helping your grandparents instead of going to the popular girl's party.
School, friends, and jobs are important, but never as important as God and Family.
Yes, they are going to break your heart, but don't let them break your spirit. Also, you will have your entire adult life to worry about dating, don't throw away your teenage years chasing after 'The One'.
I graduated high school last May and I'm asking myself how that happened. Enjoy every second and every stage. Never take a moment for granted and don't rush anything. You're exactly where you're supposed to be.
Yeah, you might not be able to buy that new computer game, but your 18 year old self will thank you for it.
It might not be cool to study the week before your big test, but more opportunities will be opened by good grades than by cool stories.
No matter where that number is coming from: the grade book, the scale, or the dollar amount in your bank account you're so much more.
Shaking hands is the foundation of introductions, business building, and promise making. Make sure your foundation is a sturdy one.
Not everything is going to go as planned. There will be some points in your life everything falls apart whether that be when you're trying to figure out what to do after graduation, when someone passes away, when you don't make the team, or when your dad loses his job.
The best changes and the most rewarding opportunities happen when life doesn't go as planned.
No one ever remembers the cool kid. You will never regret being kind.
The benefits of staying hydrated are insane. Drinking water will solve roughly 97 percent of your problems.
Yeah, scrolling through Instagram and Pinterest is a great boredom killer, but it's not a hobby. Do magic, learn an instrument, or read a book. Not only do hobbies engage your brain, but you'll be genuinely happy when you do them.
Sunscreen, wash, moisturize, exfoliate, tone, and moisturize again.
One of the best parts of having actual paper books is being able to loan them out to your friends. Loaning a book is like showing the reader a piece of who you are. Just make sure to clearly mark that they're yours or you might never see them again.
Brush at least twice a day for two minutes a day and your pearly whites will look good and you won't have to occupy the dentist's office every six months.
I'm just a phone call, text message, or short drive away. A thousand miles, next door, or somewhere in between, I promise to be there for every girl/boy problem, family event, and fight with your sister.
You are a senior in high school, you have made it to the final year that you have been looking forward to since the first day of freshman year. Whether this has been the worst or best four years of your life, appreciate it. You will never have these times back, you will never be in high school again. It is hard for someone still in high school to wrap their brain around, but there will be a day when you wish you could be in the shoes you're in right now. Here are 15 things I have learned being in college that I wish I knew as a high school senior:
Seriously. I know you’re seniors and all you want is to get out of high school, but trust me YOU WILL. Be patient and live in the moment. Right now is your last time to ever be in high school, take advantage of that and have no regrets.
There will be a day when you can’t remember that guys name that you had a crush on in history class and there will be a day when you miss that class you had with your best friend. Take it all in. Look around at each person who has impacted you in one way or another and appreciate that you have them right now, because you won’t always.
You don’t want to end up at a college you don’t like because you didn’t do enough research...trust me. Look at retention rates, campus housing, majors available, what there is to do outside of campus, clubs available, etc. You will be living there for the next four years, you need to know everything you can about every college you're applying to in order to make a good decision. Collegeboard.com is your best friend right now.
The truth is you won't really know what a college is like until you live there. I visited my college twice and even stayed overnight with current freshmen. What I experienced during those visits is much different than what it is like to actually be here, but it is the closest you can get and it is important that you do that.
Seriously, in a couple months you will never see half of these people again. If someone called you a loser, screw them. It doesn't matter whatsoever. You're not what others say you are and you need to understand that. You will be surrounded by a whole new group of people in a year and can recreate yourself in any way you want.
I honestly do not remember the day I graduated at all. It was so surreal and something I had worked so long for, I just couldn't grasp that it was happening. Don't be me. On graduation day, breathe and remember what you see, what you feel, the people who are screaming as you walk to receive your diploma.
I go to school in the middle of nowhere and I didn't realize that until I came here. Look at transportation options around the schools, find out where the closest mall is.
Honestly, you will go to college and make new friends. If you don't have many in high school, don't sweat it that is one less person you have to say goodbye to when you go off to school.
They don't define you, and they certainly don't restrict what colleges you will get into. Try your hardest, but if you don't do as well as you wanted, don't freak out.
Your workload will double, maybe even triple in college. Get used to not procrastinating or else you will struggle in college.
Weekends will be your only free time in college, so enjoy being able to come home from school and relax.
That one test you got a D on, it's not going to alter your future and restrict the rest of your life.
This was one of my biggest issues my senior year. If your friend got into Harvard, great for her, but don't be ashamed if you're going to a state school. No one is judging your college choice, and if they are- who cares? Go where you can afford and where you think you can thrive.
This is your last chance. Don't skip out because the boy you like didn't ask you. You will never have another senior prom.
I know you're all rolling your eyes at this one. High school was probably the worst four years of my life and I was the LAST person who would ever miss it. But I do. There are many classes and people and activities and clubs that I wish I could relive. College is crazily different from high school and it will make you miss those four years.
I hope you take these tips to heart. I truly wish I had known these things when I was in your shoes, if I had, I would have spent my last year in high school much differently. Think about where you will be in a year as you walk the halls, as you sit in class, and as you eat lunch with your best friends. Appreciate the moment, it will be over soon.
Everyone, and I mean everyone has heard of the show "One Tree Hill". Many people think that this show is the best thing they've ever watched and others won't bother watching it because they know they'll get hooked. And yes, I know many people have written about this show before, but I couldn't resist. I could re-watch every season multiple times to the point where I can almost quote an entire scene. Trust me, once you start "One Tree Hill", you will be hooked. There's way too many reasons to list as to why you'll love this show, and these are just a few.
I mean, just look at these two. Even though they've just become close as brothers and had an extreme hatred for one another, basketball brings them close together. These two heart-throbs become the guys that every one wants but not everyone can get.
They may bicker constantly, cry over the same guys, and sometimes hate each other, but at the end of the day, every girl wants a best friend relationship like Peyton and Brooke.
Brooke Davis is by far the most loved character on the show. If you weren't friends with her, you hated her because she was absolutely perfect. Loved by all guys and hated by most girls, Brooke was the queen of her school.
Nathan and Haley, otherwise known as 'Naley', were the first relationship goals any teenage girl ever had. The star athlete falls in love with the tutor and it's been every girls dream ever since.
"I want to be someone who's good enough to be seen with you."
Oh GOD. This love triangle keeps everyone on the edge of their seats while watching the drama unfold between who Lucas actually wants to be with. He starts off with Peyton and then ends up with Brooke and then flip-flops back and forth constantly.
But, we always knew that he really wanted Peyton. Even when he was with Brooke he'd be thinking pf Peyton. So, when she brought up who would be standing next to him, everyone KNEW he'd choose Peyton in the long run.
When Keith passes away, everyone was absolutely devastated Keith made this show complete. He had the biggest heart around and was the father figure in Lucas' life. Without Keith, Karen wouldn't be Lucas' strong mother.
Just watching Nathan Scott play basketball was enough to get you hooked. He looks so good in his jersey and this episode specifically was the most exciting to watch. The show itself revolves around basketball and it's what keeps Nathan and Lucas' new relationship so kept together.
Quentin, or 'Q', was one of Haley's students. Although he was slightly a punk, him and Jamie created a bond that was one of the closest ones on the show. Unfortunately, Quentin eventually dies and it leaves little Jamie heartbroken.
Oddly enough, Peyton gets stalked, meets her biological parents, and is wound up being independent yet mysterious. She originally dated Nathan, when she was still in her cheerleader stage, but once they broke up she being quiet and slightly gothic. She ends up dating Lucas but has a creepy stalker, Ian, who claims to be her 'brother'. She's an interesting character to say the least.
Dan Scott is 100% the villian of the show. From abandoning Lucas as a child, to pressuring Nathan into basketball, to ruining Karen's life, to his wife begging for a divorce, to having the entire town of Tree Hill hating him, Dan Scott is the worst human being to ever live.
This quote has probably popped up on your Instagram feed 50 times on a ton of girls posts, but hey, it's a scary thought. One Tree Hill is filled with quotes that get your mind spinning because they're so deep.
Every couple ever on this show makes you want to roll up in bed and cry because you don't have a relationship like any of the ones on the show. Ugh.
You get so engaged in every episode that you honestly think Tree Hill is where you're from too. It's weird..
No matter the fights and the drama and the young teen maraiges, you dreamed of the friendships made in "One Tree Hill".
"One Tree Hill" will forever be a part of my life and I would recommend to anyone to watch this show. You won't regret it! Sorry if it takes up all of your time though :)
1. Thank you for being my person.
2. Thank you for knowing me better than I know myself sometimes.
3. Thank you for always encouraging me and rooting for me in all aspects of life.
4. Thank you for knowing how to have fun.
5. Thank you for being my partner in crime and never letting me make stupid decisions alone.
6. Thank you for understanding when I’m not fine, even though I say I am.
7. Thank you for eating junk food with me even when we are supposed to be “dieting.”
8. Thank you for being the shoulder that I need to cry on and the laughter that I need after.
9. Thank you for being there during my first heartbreak and never saying, “I told you so,” even though you could have one hundred times.
10. Thank you for supporting me and never judging.
11. Thank you for the long talks and always assuring me that our bond could never be broken, even when we are miles away from each other at school.
12. Thank you for always knowing what to say when I'm sad.
13. Thank you for reminding me to be the best version of myself and never doubting me.
14. Thank you for the endless memories and being my best friend.
"She was fiercely independent, Brooke Davis. Brilliant, and beautiful, and brave. In two years she had grown more than anyone I had ever known. Brooke Davis is going to change the world someday, and I'm not sure she even knows it." - Lucas Scott, An Unkindness of Ravens
Brooke Davis of the hit show One Tree Hill was the it girl - she had it all, or so we thought. She started out as a stuck-up, shallow, spoiled, head cheerleader who didn't have her life together. She slept around a lot and loved to party - sounds like your typical high school teenager right? Wrong. B. Davis had so much more to offer. Caring, loyal, and outspoken, she has taught us some valuable lessons throughout the 9 seasons that OTH was on the air:
You are who you are, regardless of what that looks like to anyone else. Don't ever apologize or make excuses for being yourself. Be confident in all that you are, and don't let anyone tell you that you shouldn't be.
Brooke had no problem pointing out the many double standards that exist for women in today's society. Although she acknowledged that this was an ever-present aspect of society, she refused to accept it or let anyone disrespect or demean her in any situation.
Brooke survived many obstacles. From getting her heart broken, to overcoming abuse from a robbery, to escaping a man who wanted to harm her, she never let any situation crush her spirit. Each experience made her stronger. She learned that life is never easy, and that it's not supposed to be. She taught us that there is a lesson to be learned from every hardship, and that we are always tougher than we think we are. This is a trait that her friends admired, especially when they were going through some hard times themselves and had to turn to Brooke to remind them that everything would be okay.
For as much heartbreak and dissapointment that she had to face throughout the show, Brooke never wavered in her beliefs about love. She might have gotten discouraged for a little while, but she always had faith that love is something that is extremely rare and is worth every minute of hardship. She never gave up, no matter how many times she was dissapointed, and in the end it all prepared her for the day she met the love of her life. This should serve as a reminder that just because you haven't found "the one" for you yet doesn't mean that you never will.
One of the lessons that Brooke learned throughout high school was that being labeled in today's society was inevitable and that this is something that we have to be conscious of. She doesn't accept this, however. Rather, she teaches us that we do not have to be defined by our labels and that we can be whoever we want to be. This was an important lesson that she learned because it taught her confidence and to have a sense of self worth. It showed her that you can be anything, and that you are not defined by someone's opinion of you.
Although Brooke didn't always get what she wanted in every situation, she kept her standards high and never settled. Whether this came to friends, guys or family, she always knew what she deserved and refused to let anyone treat her any less. She also extended this to the people around her when she was giving advice. This is an important lesson to take charge of your life and to know your worth; these were all characteristics that made her so strong and bold.
At the beginning, Brooke got off to a rough start. She lost herself and was constantly making the wrong decisions, but as the seasons went on, her character transformation was one of the most amazing of all the characters. She went from a stuck up, self-centered mean girl to a respectable, hard working, loving friend, daughter and mother. She is proof that it is never to late to be who you want to be and that we are always capable of change.
One of Brooke's greatest attributes is her loyalty to her friends. No matter what they go through or what obstacles they face, at the end of the day she is always forgiving and will always come to their defense in any situation. This is such an admirable quality because it shows that if you truly care about the people in your life, you will always be there for them. Moreover, this is an important lesson to learn because we all make mistakes, and we all want people to love us and forgive us when that time comes.
Brooke made a powerful statement at a fashion show for her company, "Clothes Over Bros" in a later season. She didn't want her models to feel pressured to fit the stereotype of what society says they should be. This is an extremely important lesson, especially for girls in this day and age. Brooke believed that we shouldn't be defined by our size or our looks. She wanted all women not to believe that if you're not the size of the women on the magazines, then you shouldn't be happy. Being healthy and having a sense of self-worth is most important. Beauty is not a size, and no one should ever feel pressured to be anything other than what they are!
One thing that stayed constant throughout the series is that Brooke is a hopeless romantic. As much as she got her heart broken (Ahem, Lucas Scott), she never let her faith waver that one day she would find a guy that would treat her the way she deserved to be treated - and she was right. It may have taken a few years, but her Prince Charming came along and swept her off her feet. Brooke and Julian should serve as a lesson to every girl that just because you haven't found the guy for you doesn't mean you never will, nor should you ever settle for less than you deserve.
Brooke faced many trials and tribulations when it came to her clothing company, and when she was feeling discouraged, her mother was no help. She doubted, ridiculed and demeaned Brooke. But yet, she still couldn't break her spirit or her will to succeed. This determination was just another thing that made her who she was. It didn't matter if nobody else had faith in her because she believed in herself and and she knew what she brought to the table - and for her, that was more than enough. And it was - she persevered and showed everyone what she was made of. This should serve as a lesson to never give up and that if you want something bad enough, you can achieve it.
Songs About Being 17
Grey's Anatomy Quotes
Vine Quotes
4 Leaf Clover
Self Respect
1. Brittany Morgan, National Writer's Society
2. Radhi, SUNY Stony Brook
3. Kristen Haddox, Penn State University
4. Jennifer Kustanovich, SUNY Stony Brook
5. Clare Regelbrugge, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
