What I Wish I Knew At Age 13

Hey 13 year old, If you want to be tall, big and athletic, go to sleep early and eat a lot of healthy meals. Ask for help if you're confused on how to do that, and research some ideas online on how to do that together.

Hey 13 year old, If you want to accomplish something, first write down what you want exactly, and keep a copy of your goals somewhere in your room. Tell your family or friends if you want support on that.

Hey 13 year old, Video games are fun, and I'm not saying you can't play any. Just know that there are a lot of mean jerks that are much older than you in the gaming world, and you have to be cautious about talking to them in multiplayer.

Hey 13 year old, You're still very young. If life seems confusing to you, then know that things aren't supposed to make complete sense at this age. No adult knows everything, but being young makes things extra confusing, which is normal.

Hey 13 year old, If you feel already much older than you were as a little kid, know you're just starting in life. That doesn't mean your opinion doesn't matter, but if you fail or make mistakes at a lot of things now, you still have a lot of time to learn.

Hey 13 year old, I know being kind doesn't make everyone be kind to you, but if you're unkind to others, DEFINITELY people won't be kind to you. If you want to prevent as much drama as possible, be kind without being a doormat.

Hey 13 year old, Don't be friends with people who don't value your worth. You deserve more than that. No one is a real friend when they're just trying to use you, and don't really like you.

Hey 13 year old, Never give anyone any nude pictures of yourself online at this age. Someone getting nude pictures of a minor can send them to jail, and so you are dealing with a criminal here.

Hey 13 year old, Work hard in school, but know school isn't everything. There are so many life skills out there to be considered a grown up, than just having good grades. You can be smart without being a good person, after all.

Hey 13 year old, It's normal to not figure things out the first time you try it. Just try again and again. It's no shame to fail, or make mistakes. Everyday is a second chance. No one is born knowing how to speak, walk or even dress themselves. Try.

Hey 13 year old, If you suspect you have a neurodevelopmental condition like ADH, autism or dyslexia, do not diagnose yourself on the internet. Ask for professional help, but also listen to the experiences of those with the condition too, rather than only experts.

Hey 13 year old, It's normal to be slower or faster when it comes to puberty. Some change very early, and some change late. It's all normal. Everyone is different.

Hey 13 year old, It's okay to not be happy all the time. It's okay to be sad, anxious, stressed, angry or hurt. It's normal. It's natural. It's human. If you feel it doesn't work if people try to cheer you up without listening to how you feel, it's valid.

Hey 13 year old, If your parents are allowed to beat you as a kid, yet they would be jailed for beating a grown adult, then call emergency services.

Hey 13 year old, If your parents hurt you to the point of deep physical and/or emotional abuse, ask advice from a trusted adult like a teacher who has been nice to you. Look up "types of childhood abuse," if you're not sure whether it counts as abuse.

Hey 13 year old, If your mom says people only bully you because they are jealous of you, it's okay if that sounds stupid. Looking back years later, messages like that still sound stupid. People bully just because they want to cause pain for their amusement.

Hey 13 year old, If your mom tells you that people bully you because they have a crush on you, they're teaching you to assume that abuse is love, and something is wrong with that. If it sounds like nonsense, it is.

Hey 13 year old, If you are a boy, know that it is not manly to be homophobic, sexist or racist, even if your father or some other male role model in your life is this way. Find an older male figure that is more open minded enough to understand what a real man is.

Hey 13 year old, Periods are normal, and the fact that around half of the human race experiences it, it is absurd that people think a natural part of your body is a taboo topic meant for "adults" when kids experience them. It's not gross or strange. It's normal.

Hey 13 year old, If you meet a stranger, and you suddenly get a bad feeling about them or become uncomfortable in any way around them, do not talk to them.

Hey 13 year old, A basic life lesson is best learned early. If you try a solution for something then it works, it works, no matter what others say. If you try something, and it doesn't work, especially after several tries, it doesn't work. Try something else.

Hey 13 year old, No matter what family, teachers or even parents say, it is not right to discriminate based on one's race, gender, sexuality, age, class, religion, disability, appearance and more. Adults who say so are not to be trusted.

Hey 13 year old, Remember as you grow up, to not lose the imagination, wonder, humor and sense of fun or curiosity you have right now. Too many people lose it as they get older. You can be different.

Hey 13 year old, Whether you're a boy or girl, your value is not defined by your own appearance. It's okay to express yourself through fashion, but remember the good parts of you that doesn't have anything to do with your appearance too.

Hey 13 year old, You are going to meet more people who are very different, but different doesn't mean wrong, and being the same doesn't mean right. Either of these can be wrong or right, but difference or similarity alone doesn't tell you anything.

Hey 13 year old, You are going to learn that the adults you've looked up to in your life are flawed and as human as you, but that doesn't mean they can't teach you anything in life. Though it's true that some adults are worth trusting more than others.

Hey 13 year old, Do not trust much older people on the internet who want to be "romantic" with you, even if they tell you "you're mature for your age." The internet is a dangerous place for 13 year olds, so beware.

Hey 13 year old, This is going to be awkward, but you are going to have to learn about how puberty works somehow from a trusted source (like a doctor on the internet), even if your parents or school is unwilling to talk about it.

Hey 13 year old, You're technically a teenager now, but just know that teenagers in movies and films aren't realistic for most teens, in a world where teenage films are usually made by middle aged adults assuming they know what teenagers today are actually like.

Hey 13 year old, Don't make fun of anyone's looks.