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College Candy: A Conversation with My 10-Year-Old Self

You don’t know me – well, not yet – but I’m you, now. And you’re my 10-year-old self. Yeah, this conversation is actually happening, because we have a LOT to discuss.

First of all, you’re ten! Congratulations on hitting the double digits! You’ve just completed the first decade of your life and even though you probably don’t remember the first half of it, you probably feel pretty grown up and ready to stare down any sassy 4th graders. But honestly, stop growing up so fast and smell the bubblegum ice cream! Savor all those carbs you can chew without feeling guilty! Paint your fingernails electric blue, put in purple feather extensions, wear creative clothing and run around on the playground. Trust me, when your homework gets harder and your waist gets a little bigger, you’ll wish you took advantage of your high energy and amazing metabolism.

Also, I wanted to warn you about a few…changes that are coming up for you. Is it scary that you’re gonna be wearing wired hardware around your chest and stick cotton and cardboard up that hole between your legs for the rest of your life? Okay, that sounds bad, but these two inventions are going to be your best friends until you’re Grandma’s age. You’ll also meet your third best friend later rather than sooner, but hold off on starting that relationship for as long as possible.

Speaking of which, I know you’re feeling a lot of pressure to date: to change your relationship status on MySpace, to tell your friends about your perfect kiss, to have a cute boy’s hand hold yours as tightly as he grips his Xbox 360 controller. I know you think he’s attractive right now – spiked hair, blue braces, strategically placed pimples along his smooth-and-absolutely-hairless chin – but boys actually look even better in a few years. I mean gorgeous, as if all the Backstreet Boys and Leonardo DiCaprio and the two older Lawrence brothers were all rolled into one. So if you can, believe that you’re better off without those boys. Like that dream guy you’ll be dating in college (oh, if only you knew!), you too are worth the wait.

As for what you’re gonna do with the rest of your life, I gotta tell you that not everyone becomes famous. There are more ways to make a living than singing pop songs into your webcam or taking pictures without your clothes on. You’ll figure it out when you explore your passions: try out for the volleyball team, experiment with acrylic paints, read fun novels and bring a warm sweater to that week-long science camp that school’s gonna bring you to next year. And after the life-changing drama from middle school and the overwhelming confusion of high school, you’ll find yourself in heaven college. The best years of life. When you get there, a blog called College Candy will help you with everything…but do NOT go on it until you’ve at least applied to a university. Until then, focus on what makes you happy, be selfish and have tons and tons of fun. You’re a smart, beautiful, talented girl and you definitely deserve it.

What advice would you give to your 10-year-old self? Do you think you would have listened? Share on College Candy what you would’ve said to yourself!

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i really wish i could’ve said this to my 10-year-old self; even my 15- and 20-year-old self could’ve used a few of these phrases. but what’s done is done and what’s yet to be done is on its way. if i were to receive a letter now from my future self, it’d probably say something like, “by the way, it all turns out pretty okay. so you can go and enjoy your life now.”