Dear Teens and Young People,
You are special and wonderful and perfect just the way you are. But there are some things you need to know to be even better. Well, good news! Aunt Amy has got your back with some advice you didn’t ask for.
It’s easy for adults to say, “Enjoy being young.” But we mean it. Enjoy it. Your back doesn’t hurt when you wake up, your skin is dewy, you have energy. You might be in the 2% of the population who can wear leggings and a crop top and look amazing. But one day, you’ll blow out 50 candles on your birthday cake and think, “It is so weird being the same age as old people.”
Enjoy your skin elasticity while you’ve got it. One day things will look different, lower and less firm. You’ll end up with “bingo arms.” That’s when your upper arm skin just hangs and if you wave them at the nursing home while yelling “Bingo,” you could knock someone out. Not today, though. Your arms are taut, and your upper eyelid isn’t blocking your view. You lucky, lucky kid.
Neither of your parents is named Bro. And don’t get me started on Bruh.
It’s OK if your parents are weird and embarrassing. It’ll make for some fun stories later in life. You’re weird and embarrassing, too.
When someone texts you, text them back. Kids these days. They don’t respond in the native language of their youth … the text. They prefer to communicate on Snapgram or InstaWorld or Tiketty Tocketty. How about a plain, simple, no bells and whistles text? Texting my sons is basically the same as texting a guy who doesn’t like me. Will he answer? Did he see it? Oh, wait, three dots! No, they disappeared. He hates me.
You can talk to your parents about the things you think you can’t talk to them about. It’s easy to forget they were young once. It’s very likely they’ve been in similar situations as you. Maybe start by saying, “I just need you to listen, not to try and fix anything.” That cue could make the difference between a conversation that is helpful and a conversation that becomes a fight.
And now, right after telling you to communicate more, I’m going to tell you to communicate less … sometimes. This just means you need to know when to quit yapping. Think before you speak. I’m planning on learning this myself someday. We all need to learn the value of the unexpressed thought. Some things are better left unsaid. I usually figure this out right after I say those things.
It’s OK if everyone doesn’t like you. You probably don’t like everyone. It’s time to stop caring about other people’s opinions. Too bad for them if they don’t like a flawless angel like you. And me.
When someone asks what you want to be when you grow up, you don’t have to answer with a career. That’s what you want to DO. Not what you want to BE. You want to be a good, happy person. Looking back, when someone asked me, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I should have answered, “Not anxious.”
Never give up on your dream, Bro.
Love, Aunt Amy.
