There are a whole lot of uncomfortable truths every single female high school student should hear. Though you might look back at them and consider them the best, most carefree times of your life, the years that you spend in high school can, at the time, feel like the make or break of your entire existence! Teenage girls in particular (I should know, I was one!) have a tendency to overthink and over compensate in high school, just because it is a time when they haven’t quite figured out their true, authentic selves just yet. If you could go back in time and talk some sense into your teenage self, what would you say? Here are some uncomfortable truths every single female high school student should hear.
This is one of the most surprising uncomfortable truths every single female high school student should hear. You might spend a lot of time worrying about what other people think of you, but you need to know that it is okay to be a bitch when the circumstances call for it! Don’t have ‘bitch’ as your default setting, but equally don’t be scared of showing your feisty side when you are being challenged by someone.
Often, society expects women to remain compliant and docile, but it's essential to recognize that standing up for yourself is not only okay—it's necessary. When someone disrespects your boundaries or treats you poorly, embracing your assertive side is an act of self-respect. In those moments, be bold, speak your mind, and set firm boundaries. Assertiveness is not a lack of manners; it's a sign of self-awareness and strength. Remember, it's your right to demand respect and equality, and sometimes, that means being unapologetically tough.
High schoolers are prone to sticking around in uncomfortable situations out of desperation to fit in or be seen as cool, but if your gut is telling you that you shouldn’t be doing something, then there is no shame in leaving. This relates to both social situations and professional ones. If your weekend job boss is getting a bit too close for comfort, then get the hell out of that scenario.
It might seem like that first love and that first breakup are both the most profound and subsequently devastating things you are ever going to experience in your life, but they aren’t. Looking back, you will see that these first forays into adult romance were important, but they were not defining or the pinnacle of your life.
If I had a dollar for every beautiful high school girl who thought they were ugly, then I’d be the richest person on the planet. Unfortunately, until the unachievable looks of our role model systems change, we are always going to have low self image when going through puberty, but believe me when I say that you are all beautiful. Every single one of you.
No matter what you are struggling with, whether it is a friendship crisis, anxiety to do with your grades, your sexuality, your relationship with your parents, please know that as you grow and gain more independence and autonomy, things are going to get better. It might not seem like it right now, but you are going to come out on the other side of adulthood like an absolute pro.
If you think that everyone around you is doing much better than you are, you are totally wrong. You might be able to see it, but everybody goes through their own dramas in high school, and you can’t tell just by looking at someone how well they are doing on the inside. Don’t judge a book by its cover.
High school cliques can inspire a sort of ‘follow the leader’ type lifestyle, but the sooner you can get out of that mode and into the mode of making your own decisions, the happier and more successful you are going to be.
All of those ‘cool kids’ who have the best clothes and the best accessories, they are probably spending more money than they actually have, and when it comes down to it, getting into debt and trouble with your parents isn’t a cool look at all!