List 5: things that I would like to tell my 18 year old self

People often talk about the things in their life they would do differently, but to an extent I wouldn't change anything about my life. Sure, I wish someone had talked me out of getting a perm at age 13, but hey, it all turned out okay in the end (and by end I mean 4 years later when my hair finally grew out all the perm.) But, for the sake of discussion, this is a list of things I would tell myself if I could go back in time. Although, knowing myself at 18 I probably wouldn't even listen to my own advice.

1. step away from the fake tan, I repeat, step away from the fake tan, Yeah, I know everyone else uses it and looks great but trust me, you have ginger hair and freckled skin, you're just not meant to be tanned.

2. enjoy the drinking now while it's still fun and you can drink an entire bottle of apple sourz, and stay out till 7am and wake up the next day feeling like a million dollars. Because soon, in fact VERY soon, your body is going to seek its revenge and you will finally understand where the term 'hangover from hell' comes from.

3. that boy that you are going to sacrifice everything for, he's not worth it. But do it anyway because as hard as it will be when five years later he breaks your heart, it will make you a better person in the end.

4. you're going to meet two crazy American girls, who will become two of your best friends. Make the most of them while they are here, go out whenever they invite you, spend every second you can with them, because when they leave you are going to miss them so much.

5. as yummy as Reese's peanut butter cups are, they are not a meal. Also, just because you had chips and cheese at 3am does not mean you can skip breakfast. Ever.

6. you will probably always suffer from depression but it will get easier, I promise.

7. don't waste your money on high heels - no matter how hard you try you will never be able to walk in them so just give it up and spend the money on alcohol instead.

Writing this has made me realise just how much (and also how little) has changed in the 7 years since I was an 18 year old going off to university, moving away from home for the first time. I miss a lot of things about being younger, but there are lots of things I don't miss too! I feel much more comfortable with who I am now. When I was 17/18 I thought that when I was 25 I would be married, or at least living with a long-term boyfriend, probably owning our own apartment, and I'd be working as a highly paid Criminal Profiler, possibly getting head-hunted by the FBI or MI5. (okay the last bit was always a daydream but I did think I would be a criminal profiler!) How different my life is! I am single, I live at home with my parents, two sisters, and dog, I work part-time in a shop, and am many thousands of pounds in debt thanks to being a student for 7 years. But, you know what, I'm happy. I have dreams, and I am working on making them a reality. And if I could tell my 18 year old self only one thing it would be to always believe in yourself because one day you will make your own dreams come true.

(PS. this post turned into a massive gay mushy love note to myself and I apologise, but sometimes you gotta go with what you feel like writing, and this is what I felt like writing so ha.)