Dear Poppy,

 All I’ve ever wanted is to be pretty and be like every other girl, but I don’t think I’ll ever be like that. I’ve always wanted to be a Homecoming princess, on the court and in the car with a beautiful dress. I even tried but all people did was laugh at me. Sometimes I think maybe I can go for prom queen but then I put myself down. I think: “Who would vote for me? Everybody knows her and nobody knows me.” I always think “What did I do with my high school life? Did I waste it?” I tried doing SCA my sophomore year, but I was too scared because I felt like everybody already knew each other from freshman year and I thought I would just be excluded. I’m graduating this year and I feel like I’ve wasted my time at high school; all I wanted was to do was make a difference, do something meaningful for the school, or find out who I truly was. I don’t know if that’s for sure what I want, but please help.

— Lost Girl

Dear Lost Girl,

You are beautiful. You have to know that first and foremost. Do you want to try to win prom queen? Go for it. Don’t care what others think. If you do, you will end up letting other people dictate your life. Nobody’s opinion of you matters as much as your own opinion of yourself. As long as you are doing what you love and you are happy, you don’t need anybody else. 

Let go of the past. Forget what you could’ve done, should’ve done, and would’ve done. Live your life now. It’s your senior year. Make the most of it and be the best version of yourself. Before and after you graduate, take advantage of every opportunity given to you. If you’ve regretted your high school experience, turn it around! Now is your chance. 

What I want to leave you with is this: get out of your own head. Take risks. Go outside that box and make that box your own. You are important and you are going to do great things. As far as trying to get out of your head, listen to empowering music. Look up powerful women playlists on Spotify and jam to it. Journal your thoughts. (I’m an advocate for journaling!) If you have thoughts you can’t say, write them or draw them. Put them on paper however you choose; getting your thoughts out is therapeutic. Get all your emotions through the day (anger, happiness, sadness), out. Then, close the journal, put it away for tomorrow, and move on. Let go and strive to be who you want to be. Set realistic goals and work for them. Do what you want, and above all, be yourself. You are all you have, so be confident and don’t ever try to change because of other people. I wish you all the luck in the world. 

Sincerely

        Poppy <3