Dear 16 year old Me,

You're frumpy and unsure and hate "Three Times a Lady" as no one asks you to dance. But in three years time you will be shocked when French men are paying you lots of attention during your gap year and so it continues back home..

You are a gentle soul who wants to be loved and the romantic in you will always be there just don't say "I love you" too soon - they run a mile!

You will have a great time at Uni, make close friends who you still have over 20 years later, meet a man who truly cares and marry him, have a great job but find more joy in being a mother to a girl and a boy.

You will do some crazy things in the name of love and you will have secrets but the memories will make you smile..

Stay optimistic and don't worry about the figure - it's the best it will ever be!

But you will never ever like Lionel Ritchie!
Love, Me xx

Dear me,

Don't spend three years doing a science degree that you hate and then have to spend thousands of pounds retraining as a Lawyer.
Don't stress yourself about getting 12 gcses
when 8 will do.
Don't aim to be popular, aim to be right.
Be open minded when it comes to men,never say that you will never marry a short man, or you will probably miss out on the love of your life.

Good things really can happen to you and they can happen very quickly .....some one once told me the friend s you have when you are 17 are the friend s you have for life i think i would add that the dreams you have at this age are also the dreams you have for life ..dont under estimate the few things that have captured your heart at this point ..yes they may develope and become attatched to a wider picture but achieve something massive by really committing to the sneaky feeling that you are interested in something ..write a book, go on TV, Print a Poster, At least write a letter to your hero or the government something out there ....a keep practicing the art of leaving a mark to look back and laugh or to draw opportunities to you ..who knows but its so much more fun than waiting to be grown up ...

Dear Me,

Actually bother going to school dear, it is pretty important!

That "bloke" hanging of your arm is not boyfriend material, yes he will never pressure you into sex, yes he's sensitive and caring...darling, give it a year and youll find out he's gay!...he will however become one of your best friends

Dont spend so much time trying to please people who never give anything back, you wont have anysort of relationship with them 5 years on...well unless facebook counts!

In a few years time Facebook will be huge...just do it at the start...save loads of "why dont you have facebook"...and you will eventually give in anyway

Your not fat, however if you continue to comfort eat, in 5 years you will be fat, and incredibly unhappy

Don't bother getting depressed over not being able to take a particular career path. by the time you turn 21 you will have a wonderful job you ADORE!

Which will then lead to hours being spent on mumsnet...dont try to fight it...a mumsnet obbsesion WILL happen

Most of all dont let anyone push you around, dont pretend to be anything your not and enjoy the ride

Milk, 5 years on!

Dear Me

You know that boy that everyone is in love with and you're too scared to tell him you feel the same - JUST TELL HIM!!! He loves you too and if you don't tell him now it will take 5 years for him to ask you out again!

I know you think your Dad is dying but his illness is not as bad as you think - but cherish your Mum she may seem like a dragon but she does love you and you'll lose her sooner than you think.

Get to know your sisters they aren't as bad as you think and the age gap will seem less in time. They will really need you later on and the closer you are the easier it will be.

I wish I could say it'll get easier but it won't.

You'll just have to learn now that you're stronger than you think.

Bye Love

Dear me

Dear me.

xx

Dear Me,

Relationships don't make you happy. YOU make you happy, it comes from inside not outside. It doesn't matter if you don't know what you want to do, it doesn't matter if you haven't met 'the one' yet.

So for fucks sake, grow out your fringe, start dressing like a normal person and not an extra in Lord Of The Rings, and do things that make you happy. Stuff everyone else: it's your life. Enjoy it, live it, and be happy.
(And when you meet your first love, be a bit nicer to him, eh? It might NOT actually last forever. So enjoy it while you can.)

Lots of love from me
x

P.S Oh yeah, and get your lazy eye fixed NOW, not in 10 years. You won't believe how much difference it will make! Because you are beautiful even though you can't see it, you silly moose.

Dear Me

Stop making yourself sick. You aren't fat and looking back, you'll be surprised at just how slim you actually were.

Less partying and more studying will mean you don't bomb the most important one of your a-levels and then lead to you not going to University, which you'll regret very much later on.

When you meet Max next year, do be prepared for him to break your heart. You'll cry for a week solid when he breaks up with you after 7 months, and it'll feel like you'll never be normal again. Later, you'll have suspicions that one of your friends was involved with him straight afterwards, but it'll never be proved and even when you're 33, she'll never tell you the truth so you have to leave it.

Try to be nice to your Mum. You'll have a daughter of your own one day.

Love me

Dear Me,

Realise that studying and learning, doing sport and music makes you happy - and that is enough - because it will never make your legal Guardian happy. Nothing you can do will make her happy, because she cannot make herself happy. She will be criticising and belitting and abusing you until the day you leave her house and her life 5 years from now. Even then she will often be a tiny voice of doubt in your head that will take years to get rid of. Make yourself happy! You deserve it. You have just as much right to be happy as anyone else, please believe that.

You won't be able to make that guy you're crazy about love you either. Some things aren't meant to be. It will take a lot of frog-kissing to find your prince, but you will 1) learn to recognise a frog much faster and 2) find a prince when you are old and wise enough to realise just how good he is. And he will cherish you, and you will both be incredibly happy and build a life and a family together. It will happen!

Dear me

It makes me cry to think of you feeling so sad and lonely. I think you might be a bit depressed. It won't last forever. Life is shit right now but it's going to get a lot, lot better.

You're overweight and I'm afraid that's going to be an ongoing battle. Pretty soon you'll lose a couple of stone and you'll be more accepted and blokes will notice you. You're a pretty girl with a lovely smile. Please don't throw yourself at anything male who shows an interest because you're drunk and have low self esteem.

Take no notice of the teachers or pupils at school who put you down. You're not stupid. You will do well once you're out of that dump.

You've always been the new girl and struggled to be accepted. At uni this will work in your favour amongst those who've never moved before. This confidence will stay with you into adulthood. Uni will be great. You'll amaze yourself and get a 2.1 and meet your future husband. You'll work hard and party harder.

After uni your life will go off in unforeseen directions but the view from the mid thirties isn't bad at all. A husband who is your best friend, a great social life, a home of your own, a proper grown up job and at last a longed for child.

Stay strong. There's so much to look forward to.

The older, much happier me