20 things I'd tell my 13-year-old self

1. You are not fat. You will look back at these days and curse yourself for thinking that you were fat.
2. The better you think your hair looks now will be in direct proportion to how ridiculous that style looks 20 years later.
3. Your T-shirts don't really need to be XXL. 
4. Your parents know so much more than you give them credit for. 
5. It's ok that that boy doesn't like you back. He grows up to have political leanings and opinions that are diametrically opposed to yours. It never would have worked out. 
6. You will never get any better at math, and you will never use algebra in real life.
7. Some of the friends you have now will be with you your whole life. 
8. Enjoy those guilt-free double-doozie cookies and full-sugar cokes while you can. 
9. At some point, you will understand and actually appreciate the reason why your parents never bought you that ridiculously expensive handbag. 
10. That independent streak of yours will keep you in good stead.
11. Stop worrying about what other people think of you; they're much too busy worrying about what other people think of them to bother with you.
12. Be patient; boys will grow to be taller than you are. 
13. That frizzy hair you have now is actually curly; you will learn how to style it eventually. 
14. That dream you had about a computer that spits out answers when you type in questions actually comes true. It's called Google. 
15. It's ok to be a bookworm; in fact, you'll make a career out of it. 
16. Contrary to popular belief, it's actually better to be different than it is to be like everyone else. 
17. Your predictions for where you'd be and what you'd be doing in the year 2000 at the age of 26 were waaaaaaay off. 
18. You think Grandma treats you like a four-year-old now? Wait until you're 37. (She actually gives you a BATHROOM SCALE for Christmas '08).
19. Being nerdy will be a badge of honor (of sorts) later on.
20. Get used to it now; life will always be a little bit like Junior High.