GUEST POST: Tips For Tweens

A tutorial for how to get through one of the worst periods of your childhood.

Maxine from tween to teen.

While I’m hiatus’ing, my daughter, Max is subbing in! Here she is with her 14-year-old self, sharing all that she’s learned about tween-ness. 

1. People at this age suck. There’s no escaping it, and you’re going to have to deal with it at some point. You probably suck too, and when you do, there’s usually some sort of reasoning for it. Whenever you’re dealing with a-holes, it’s best to keep in mind that something probably caused them to act that way, whether it’s you or something completely unrelated. Whenever you’re dealing with these people, try to remember the times when you lashed out. That’s probably happening to them.

2. Don’t have a super large friend group. It’s nearly impossible to be close to every single person in a larger group. Clicks naturally created inside the group will cause drama. It can create a very unpleasant experience. Just try to find a small friend group that you’re comfortable with. Also, you don’t always have to have one shared interest in the group. When I was younger I thought we all had to like the exact same things and I had to talk to anyone that liked the same things as me. But just because you like the same things doesn't mean you’re going to get along well. Best to see how you interact with a person before getting too close.

3. If you’re interested in trying something, go for it. Just because you think something could be seen as embarrassing or different from your peers, doesn't mean it isn’t worth trying. There are a lot of things I tried that weren’t common or popular with people at my school at the time, but I really enjoyed doing them, even if it meant I looked a little different from others. There are also a lot of things I wanted to do that I was interested in, but I didn't because I worried they would be embarrassing, and now I feel more regret than embarrassment. 

4. Keep up with that schoolwork even though it’s annoying. I know everyone says to do this, but it is really important during this time period. The work you do now is the base for all of the work you will be learning later and the new subjects you can branch out to. For example, I found out that I enjoy astronomy rather than chemistry. If I hadn’t been paying attention during those classes I might not have been able to pick classes in high school that are more suitable to my interests. 

5. Don’t spend this time of your life wishing you were a teenager. Being a teenager is fun, don’t get me wrong. You have all the freedoms that you hoped for, but the freedom comes with a large amount of responsibility that you’ll have to deal with. Being a tween can be really fun if you try to focus on the moment. 10 through 12 were some of the funnest ages for me personally. Try to remember that thinking about being a teenager doesn’t speed up the time, it just makes it feel further away.