Have you ever had to reach in your mouth and carefully, but determinedly loop a piece of floss around the metal band in your mouth? I know this feeling. It is the feeling that common teen usually gets about braces.
    

Braces, those vile things of evil. They pull your teeth close together, or farther apart. The pain is excruciating for the first few weeks, until it settles, but when you have to get them adjusted, then you are put right back at level one. My dear friends… you are not alone in this torture. Trust me, I have to have them in my Senior picture. :(
    

I (more than most people) know this feeling. Right now I am on my second phase, which basically means that my mouth was too screwed up to get right the first time, they had to do it a second time! YAY (sarcasm). I had to get my braces on in fourth grade! I am not lying, and no I am not kidding. Why would I joke on a topic this serious, this horrible, this… OH the horror!
    

So, I was that nerdy kid with braces who watched star wars and played tag with the boys. Yep, my experience sucked, but guess what? That is life. It is cruel and horrible. You learn to deal with the cards fate has shuffled.
    

I honestly haven’t changed much… I am still that nerdy girl who watches Sci-Fi shows (more specifically Doctor Who), and plays Dungeons and Dragons (this game is neither a cult nor a religion, seriously people!) in a room mostly contained by men.
    

The reason I tell you this is for all those tiny little middle school kids, just coming up in adolescence. These adorable kids probably feel lost, confused, and a little left out. This is normal. My intermediate/middle school years were like years of freedom. I met people who were outside of the clique of fifth grade. I merged into another road that took me a completely different direction. I met other people who were like me. I met people who wanted to be writers like myself. I wasn’t the only nerdy person (or girl for that matter) who liked Sci-Fi movies, and wanted to write novels, and loved playing tag out on the field. I wasn’t the weird one anymore. I was completely normal. I found people who could accept me, my friends.
    

I understand that the road is wide, wider than ever before, but make friends. Good friends are the most important thing that can help you through your awkward stages. You need friends who can make you feel good about yourself, who correct you when you are wrong, and uplift and support you.
    

It is up to you to make friends. You need to get motivated, and you need to speak with them. If your headphones are always where your mouth should be, then you will never speak to anyone, you will be that kid who always had their head down. Friendship is hard, and easy. You need to work at it, but it is also as smooth as Elsa’s ice castle. If you be you, then others will like you too. It won’t matter if you have braces, or like nerdy shows. If you respect others they will usually respect you too.
    

Now join me for a life filled with fun and laughter. There will be hard days, bad days, good days, and best days. Live and let live. Treat others with respect, and keep your head high. You are a great individual, full of unimaginable power. You have the choice to choose between kindness, and cruelty. This is not an easy choice, but you must choose your path. Live and let live. Be good to others no matter their religion, background, ethnicity, etc. These are my words to you. Choose wisely

    ~Author out...