10 things I would tell to my 17-year-old self:

1. Don’t stress too much about deciding which college to go to. You’ll end up going to 3 different ones anyway and your best friendships won’t come out of class.
2. Don’t get such an attitude with Mom and Dad about them trying to keep you out of debt. Graduating without loans is the best thing ever.
3. Try to stop working so much.
4. A series of really hard circumstances are about to start coming at you fast, and they’re going to hurt. It’s not because you’re being punished. It’s just the way life is, and it gets better.
5. If you could see what God is trying to work and build into you right now, you wouldn’t be fighting Him so hard about it.
6. Don’t wait until 18 to get the swoopy side-bangs. Get them now.
7. Who cares if you’re driving a 1989 maroon Buick Century with paint peeling off the front bumper. You have a car. And it’s really comfy.
8. Spend as much time as possible with your little brother and be really good to him. You won’t get to be in his life after next year.
9. Stop worrying. Just stop.
10. Hit highway 41 going north until you get to Proctor Rd. Turn right, and keep going until you find Sarasota Baptist Church on the left. Go on a Sunday morning and find the 11th grade Sunday school room. There’s a girl named Michelle in there who is a riot and she actually understands what your life is like because her dad is a pastor and she moved around a lot too. Meeting her and her friends is going to make your senior year. Don’t be shy. They’re going to think you’re really cool even if you don’t think you are.

[I stole this idea from Jeff and Sara. You do it too]