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Monday 15 April 2013

Advice To My Teenage Self & Silly Things We Did At School

Me last year on my nan's boat in Norfolk | Quote - Oscar Wilde | Frizzy-mess hair courtesy of - The Wind.

Every now and again, I like to type up a little (what I like to call) 'slice of lifestyle pie'.  This post wasn't planned - spur of the moment n' all that..  I haven't edited so do forgive me for it being a little rambly and rather lengthy, but I know a few of you enjoy my diary/life related posts and I often sit down with a cuppa to read things like this on other blogs (apologies to those of you who prefer no more than a couple of papargraphs ;)) A while back, I saw posts like these floating around the bloggersphere yet never decided to do one myself.  You know when you have one of those reflective moments in life (getting a bit deep here..get the goggles out!) when you think back to your younger days, think about how you've changed as a person and things you would change if you had the chance?

Me and my best friend sat on my bedroom floor (we never sit on chairs, always the floor..we have done since we were 12) on one of our many girlie nights the other week, and looked through all of our notes and letters we used to sneakily pass to each other at school in our lessons. We kept a big stash of them in an envelope and now and again, like our own little time capsule, we open this top secret envelope and look back on our younger days. It was a right hoot, let me tell you.  It really took me back to being a teenager again and how carefree our lives actually were - even though some of what we said in these letters really made us cringe, it was fabulous to look back and reminisce. All the little notes we have kept are written on torn out pages of our school books and planners (and believe me we used every last inch of those little torn pieces of paper) we folded them up into teeny-tiny little squares within an inch of their life, so they were as discreet as they could possibly be.  I still remember the sheer horrifying, gut-wrenching moment when our english teacher snatched the note we had been writing back and forth for the whole lesson from our hands, and threatened to read it out to the whole class. After a few whimpers from the both of us and the exchange of looks on our faces, we spent the whole lesson on the edge of our plastic chairs. He never did read that note out, and for that I am eternally grateful (thankyou, Mr Brandreth, in the very unlikely case you're reading this), but we never got that letter back.  I can just imagine him going home, finding it in his suit pocket and thinking to himself what a strange pair of students we really were.  We used to make up our own languages and words and create secret 'code names' for boys we both liked. I used to vandalise her pencil case with 'I love ? IDST' (If destroyed still true..who remembers that fabulous little abbreviation creation!?) and 'Sarah smells' - every single young teenager cliche you can think of, we did. Skip foward a few years and at 22/23 we are still the best of friends. I still tell her everything, we still sit and gossip about male species and er..related subjects, and we still giggle at things we used to giggle at when we first met (we still crack out the made-up words now and again).  There's nothing like a friendship where you can still whip out the same jokes you used when you were younger and still cry tears of laughter years later. 

Although my days at school were happy ones, and I wouldn't change them for the world, I wouldn't like to go back to them now.  I know people say your school days are the best days of your life, and although this is true in the sense that you have nothing to worry about except deciding the route which gives you the best possibility of seeing a certain boy between lessons, school-life is like living your life in a little bubble.  You can't get away from the 'popular crowd', the bitchy gossiping and even the class bully no matter how hard you try.  When I was at school I remember thinking that the way things were in that building was reflective of how things would be when I 'grew up' - and I wish I'd have known how things would be in a few years time. Saying this, I loved school - I really did.  Mine was a little rough around the edges at times, the type of school where it was the 'in thing' to do anything and everything besides doing your work and the popular crowd was made up of some pretty colourful characters, but I still turned out just fine (I'm not saying it was gang-land or anything, but you get my drift..) Here's a few little tit-bits I would tell my teenage self if I had the chance to now..
 

| Stand up for yourself gurrrrl! |
Sometimes, you'll wish you stood up for yourself a little bit more - but in the end you'll be glad that you stayed true to yourself and didn't cause a fuss. That inner confidence you have is never going to go away and in a few years time you'll see it to it's full potential. But I wish sometimes that you'd told some people exactly what you thought and spoke your mind a bit more. Don't be so polite that you come across like a doormat to be walked all over. Don't worry though, in a few years time those people won't matter at all, and you'll even have the chance to prove some of them wrong. Remember that time when your cooking teacher went crazy at you, made you give up your lunch hour to wash up all the pots that someone else 'forgot' to wash up and you got the blame for their laziness..(even when you'd already done your pots and pans)? You didn't want to cause a fuss so you just did it anyway, albeit with a bit of a huff and a puff, a scowl on your face and a few muttered curse words under your breath, but you still did it. I admire your attitude towards certain situations and I'm glad you knew when it was best to keep your mouth shut, but your future self would have told that woman politely where to shove those pots and pans.

 | Continue to work hard |
Keep working hard, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I'm so glad you didn't give in and fall in with the wrong crowd. The 'popular crowd' might be popular in school but when they leave, trust me, you'll have the last laugh.  You also have some serious thankyou's to owe to your art teachers - they are the one's that gave you the confidence to get where you are now and if it wasn't for them, you'd have been stuck struggling to understand that Psychology A-level you attempted to take.. (that career wouldn't really have gone very far would it? Not when you struggle to write the name of the subject correctly..let alone write an essay on it..) And please stop messing around in your Geography lessons.. looking back now I feel so sorry for your teacher...

| You're a good judge of character - for goodness sake - use it |
There's a few friends you will have that aren't good for your well being at all - I'm so glad you let go of them but I wish you had done it sooner.  Don't let the people who don't care about their education and their future pull you back. They might think they look ever-so popular and amazing now, but in a few years time you'll realise that it's really not worth it and that the tables turn very quickly.  There's one friend who you'll still be close to in your 20's and one that will be a friend for life - you already know who she is - I'm so glad you didn't let that one go because you still have the same amount of giggles now than you did when you were 11.  

| Stop caring so much what people think of you |
Who cares if a certain boy that takes your fancy doesn't feel the same back!? In a few years time he will actually send you a message asking you to go out for a drink (#truestory) and you will show him the same courtesy that he showed you. Stop caring so much about what people think of you, there's plenty of time to be grown up about stuff, and try not to let words effect you so much. It's still your greatest downfall now. Nip it in the bud now, please.

| Don't wish away your teenager days |
You have a fabulous opportunity to enjoy yourself every day and not have to worry about work - use it.  Never again will you have the chance to spend time with your best friends every single day of the week and finish the day at 3:00! Make the most of it! 

| Stop worrying |
You'll always be a natural worrier, this will never ever change, but you'll soon realise that things don't matter half as much as you thought they did.  Also, stop worrying so much about your panic attacks - you will go through a very tough time with them but you're going to come out the other end so much better and you'll learn to cope with them. Stick with it. Things will get better. I promise you. I wish so much you'd known this a few years back. And please stop obsessing over boys.. jeeeeez woman! 

| Please stop plucking your eyebrows |
For goodness sake, stop plucking your eyebrows. You'll regret being so tweezer-happy with them in a few years time when you have the worst arches in the world, trust me.

| A little fashion/beauty advice... |
That fake playboy bowling bag you got from the market that you think looks amazing? IN.THE.BIN. Burn it. Attach it to a breeze block or something and throw it in a deep expanse of water. Just get rid of it! Nobody looks good with a bowling bag. Your future self will be so embarrassed (#cringin'ell!). Your mother was right, that metallic white eyeshadow looks awful (as does that eyeliner you apply round the back of the garages when you know she can't see you applying more makeup) And those synthetic hair extensions you thought looked amazing. They don't. What on earth made you think that having black and pink stripes in your lovely blonde hair looked nice in any way shape or form?

So there we have it, I could go on but these are things I'd love to tell myself should I have the chance.  I'd love to tell my teenage self about how things are now, about my journey so far but I've enjoyed being a little bit indecisive at times and letting things work themselves out.  

What would you tell your teenage self if you could go back now? Any of my memories remind you of your own school days? If you decide to do a similar post, do let me know - I love a good reminisce, me! @Beth_BirdsWords.



38 comments:

  1. this was so good to read! you're such a good writer. reading what you've written about you and your best friend - you sound so similar to me and mine. haha, we used to have silly code names for teachers so we could send 'unsolvable' notes back and forth all lesson. school days really were so much fun and i wish i could tell myself not to wish them away like i did. you've definitely inspired me to write a similar post on my blog. i've been looking for some blog inspiration :) x

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    1. Thanks so much Rachel! Im suprised that I have a comment! yippee! I thought nobody would read this and it would be one of those posts nobody gives a hoot about..haha :)
      Ahhh Yes teacher code names! We used to have those! Please, PLEASE let me know when you write your post - id love so much to have a read and have a good old 'lol' at things we have in common. Girls are so predicatable at school haha xxx

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    2. haha, and as for carrying around a playboy bag...i used to wear this hideous bright pink fake playboy top. oh gawwd it makes me cringe just thinking about it. i'll definitely link you after i've written my post :) xx

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  2. That quote by Oscar Wilde is the quote i live by! It's such an amazing and very true quote

    http://georgialouisee.blogspot.co.uk

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    1. It's fabulous isn't it. I love that quote :) x

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  3. I loooooved reading this post Beth! It's a really personal post, and it's so true that when you look back how things change over the years. I wish I knew some of this stuff when I was at school, the things I do to change a few things but you should never regret something that at the time you thought was the right thing to do or if it made you happy. I'm the same though, all that make up on me didn't look great, nor did the fake Louis Vuitton bag! Thanks for the lovely post hun! :) I love your writing style and how your personality reflects in each and every post!

    www.theperksofbeingsharna.blogspot.com
    - Sharna xo

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    1. Thanks so much Sharna :)
      I dont regret anything either - I just wish sometimes id been one of those people who knew what path they wanted to take when they were younger but ive enjoyed being a bit all over the place and finally settling on sometimes later in life :)
      Ahh yes the fake Louis bags - haha I had one I bought off a market in Greece and used to swan around telling everyone it was real *cringeeeinell!*
      xx

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  4. Genuine love for this post!
    http://sadexcuseofagirl.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/letter-to-my-13-year-old-self.html
    I wrote this one a few months back but i think i will definitely be writing another one - thanks for the inspiration!
    Sarah xx

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    1. Thanks so much Sarah! Yeey i shall hop over and have a read :)
      Do let me know if you do another! Id love to read it xx

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  5. Ahhh the playboy bowling bag, it takes me back. Amazing post Beth, there are things I miss about the old school days and things that I'm thankful are over and done with haha.
    http://wwwclairabelle.blogspot.co.uk

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    1. hahaha that i took it everywhere with me too - so awkward. It was obviously a cheapy! xx

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  6. Haha this is such a fun post! Not sure I'd have courage to think so much into my teenage years - being a punk goth with boy hair cut is beyong cringey, trust me:D x

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    1. Thankyou :) glad you liked it! Oh ive had my fair share of cringey moments/hairstyles too - believe me :P x

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  7. I loved this post I'm only fifteen myself, and I wish I had the confidence to stand up for myself and not care what anybody else thinks about me! I write a beauty blog to get away from school life and love it! Xxx

    www.maisbryan.blogspot.co.uk

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    1. I wish id had blogging when i was at school :) Its really good if you manage to balance school work and blogging! I think you tend to find your confidence when you leave school - i still dont stand up for myself enough even now xx

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  8. We used to write IDET If destroyed even truer! Is truer even a word?! Great post :)x

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    1. haha wow i never knew of this one! Im not sure if truer is a word or not - sounds jolly good though! x

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  9. Absolutely loved this post! I'm almost 17 now and I found this so interesting to read :) thanks!
    xx

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    1. Thankyou Catherine - glad you enjoyed it :) xx

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  10. LOL at the bowling bag! I would definitely tell myself not to worry so much and not be so anxious about everything! Prom won't be a disaster, you and your date will have a really good time there is NO need to be so nervous, it will be a night to remember :)

    http://justanotherhighmaintenancegirl.blogspot.ie/

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    1. haha they flipping bowling bag! Aww i remember prom - i was so nervous too but it was really good - and looking back the last chance i had to spend time with all of my friends together. End of an era and all that jazz :( xx

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  11. I really enjoyed reading this! Definitely thinking about writing my own now. Also I just wanted to say, I really love your writing style this is an amazingly written post <3

    gemmasbeautycorner.blogspot.co.uk xxx

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  12. aah this is such a lovely post. i myself am still only a teenager and all those things you did remind me so much of what me and my friends do, especially with the code names for nice boys, hehe!xx

    vintage teapot//fashion, beauty & life

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  13. Loved this post! Haha I think we've all been there with THOSE hair extensions..I want to burn the pictures!..Yes I can't believe that I actually let pictures be taken with those in my hair. Dear god! xxx

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  14. Great post! I have kept a diary ever since I was 14 and I'm 22 this year and it's so good to read back through and see how you've grown up and dealt with problems! Funnily enough my best friend is called Sarah and we have the same type of friendship now haha!I actually suffered one of my first panic attacks over a guy I had a ridiculous crush on because he fancied another girl, kind of tragic really hehe xx

    www.curls-and-swirls.blogspot.co.uk

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  15. Great post! I can really relate to the bit about plucking your eyebrows! My 16 year old self got way too enthusiastic with the Tweezerman :)

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  16. This is brilliant! Ooh what I could tell my teenage self...! Or even my 21 year old self for that matter ;-) I recently found some notes my friend and I had written aged approx 15...so much fun reminiscing and cringing over them! :D xxx

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  17. i love reading your posts beth! so creative.. its nice to read something more personal sometimes! I'm 17 coming up on 18 soon so this post really spoke to me!

    xxx

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  18. This was such an awesome post Beth, I really loved reading it! I have to agree with a lot of these things, it's funny how much we learn in such a short period of time. Within a few years, we know so much about ourselves and can look back and think 'whoa, I would never do that now!'.

    xo, aly

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  19. Aha I love this post, I hated school at the time but in all honesty it wasn't that bad, It's been five years and I've forgotten so much that was apparently the end of the world back in the day, I definitely would have told myself not to worry so much too, nothing that happens at school actually matters as you get older no matter how much it makes you cry at the time. Dear lord, just remembered about my own playboy bowling bag that was so small I used to roll my books to fit into it and never have any pens because it was either that or my lipgloss and I had my priorities, i'm so glad my makeup and hair skills have improved since then.
    Rosalie x

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  20. I loved this post! These are really some great things to remember in life! I wish that I had a friend as good as your best friend when I was younger! xxx

    http://lifeisokay13.blogspot.dk/

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  21. This was such an enjoyable read, this is the kind of things I'd of said to my teenage self too! x

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  22. I love this post, it's refreshing to read that someone had gone through the same things that I'm going through now :) I'd definitely tell my younger self to get some confidence in me!! xx

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  23. So far I wouldn't change anything because the things i regret were out of my control. Also, I always sit on the floor with my friend.


    /Avy

    http://mymotherfuckedmickjagger.blogspot.com

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  24. Such a great post! I definitely wish I could've told myself to be a bit more confident in highschool. I had such confident issues back then and it really made me a meek and shy person through the five years in high school. I don't even feel like the same person when I think of how timid I was.

    xoxo Bree
    The Urban Umbrella
    http://www.theurbanumbrella.com

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  25. Hahah this is brilliant! Found a school photo of myself in year 7 the other day and nearly died of embarrassment. Can't believe I went out looking like that hahah!

    www.allthingsbeautiful-x.blogspot.com

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  26. I love this blog post, it's really got me thinking! You are such a fab writer too xx

    Lucy Loves To Blog

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  27. I love reading posts like this, its so sweet! you keeping your old notes to your friends is such a good idea, I wish I still had mine :) xx

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I always read all of my lovely comments. Make sure you check back as i often reply but if you do have a specific question and want a quicker response then please do email me over at birds.words@yahoo.co.uk or tweet me (@Beth_BirdsWords). Thank you for all your support! x