Lauren Vargas

Tell her to listen to her heart; people will say and do things - if it doesn't feel right - pay attention. - Five Husbands

Tell her to watch a nature show (Discovery, Animal Planet, etc) and observe how the animals follow one rule - survival of the fittest. The same applies to high school. There is safety in numbers so find and surround yourself with good people and true friends. Don't get too caught up in the small things - homecoming, who said what, who's dating who, all that nonsense - because in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t matter. Keep focused on your studies and your friends and you’ll be golden! - David Murray

HS is a fun and positive time that involves friends, some drama and work. You will be shaping the next decade by your behavior, so try hard to think before you act. Talk to us everyday. Stay connected to trusted adults. - Christine Cavalier

Viola - First congratulations on reaching this milestone. You are embarking on the journey that will be the foundation for the rest of your life. Don't worry about friends or all the superficial things that come up in high school (clothes, material goods). Get the most that you can out of your classes. Join up in activities that interest you & where you feel like you can make a positive contribution. When you do those things then the right friends, friends that will stick & be of value, will come naturally. - eldevlin

When you feel like you don't belong and you're unsure of yourself, don't forget that everyone else feels the same way, even if they don't show it. - Ontario Emperor

PG has some advice here. http://www.paulgraham.com/hs.h... - Hao Chen

20 years from now, she'll laugh at all the things that seem so monumentously important in high school. A sense of humour and good family support goes a long way. And don't put anything on Facebook or Flickr you might regret later! Grades are important, but so is a healthy social circle made up of as many different people as possible. Cliques are limiting. Try to build alliances in many circles. - Michelle Sullivan

The best advice is to get involved and try new things. There are things outside of high school that help teenagers realize that there is more to life than what happens within those walls. Challenge yourself to focus on the things you want, not the things you think other people want you to be. You'll make mistakes and learn lesson's beyond the books and lectures, but life is long and 4 years will never define one person. Enjoy the friendships and embrace the challenges and you'll cherish the memories for the rest of your life...even the bad ones that will help turn you into a well rounded person. - Kevin

Make sure she knows (especially if she has a rough time) that, in the immortal words of Brad Paisley, "have no fear, these are nowhere near the best years of your life." (Had to throw a country music lyric in there since you're moving to Texas!) But basically, whether a person's high school experience is great or difficult, everyone should know that the best is truly yet to come in life. Would've helped me back in the day if I'd known that! - Sarah

Actually, now that I think of it, that Brad Paisley song is all about getting through high school. He writes a letter to himself at 17, with lots of good life advice. If she's at all partial to country music (doubtful, I know, I'm a geek what can I say!) then it's got a nice message: http://youtube.com/watch?v=6fq... - Sarah

Lots of good advice already. I moved 4 times during High School so I definitely learned the value of making new friends. She should try to get involved in something before school starts (if possible), that way once classes start you already have a friend or two. Makes things much less awkward. - John Johansen

The note gives love, understanding, and encouragement without being overtly demonstrative, or "totally embarrassing." In high school, no one will ever really know the "REAL" you, and that's okay. You will be more in love than anyone else has ever been. Friends will make everything worth while, and sometimes break your heart. Find at least one very good friend, because really, that's all you'll truly need. Become a part of something that interest you--sports, music, school activities--it's a good thing. - Anna Haro

Michelle Sullivan: I have to continuously remind myself that even if these things will seem silly 20 years from now, they don't seem silly now. We always remember that the teen is dealing in the present. - Ontario Emperor via fftogo

Plan ahead. If you're thinking about college down the road, freshman year of high school is the time to dive into the things you're passionate about, developing a track record of excellence in whatever you love. Like to write? Literary journal or school newspapers are good places to cut your teeth. Whatever you're passionate about, go full bore into, because that drive and motivation will make the process of going to the college of your choice at the price that's right much easier later on. - Christopher Penn

I'm telling my son (who is also starting high school) that you define yourself by the choices you'll make over the next four years. You can choose between science and getting stoned. You'll probably be asked to ride in a car with an inebriated driver. You have the choice to stop, call me and I'll give you a ride, no questions asked. Some of my friends in high school didn't make the right choice and they didn't live to see what life after high school is like. I'll always hope you make the right choice. - Robert Scoble

how sweet! tell her you understand she will need to detach from her parent, but to remember that you will alays be there for her...no matter what you will always love her. - Lauren Vargas via feedalizr

Have her read "This book is not required" by Inge Bell http://amazon.com/This-Book-Re... The 3rd edition http://www.amazon.com/This-Boo... has a review recommending the older editions, so I hesitate to recommend the latest one. I read the 1st one in 1990. It was required reading for a class at UCLA. Comment on 3rd ed - "it appears that newly-added coauthors Bernard McGrane and John Gunderson have added lots and lots of words. Ugh. " - Mitchell Tsai

It's a book about college (e.g. "get to know 1 professor each semester and have them know you" rather than fish for grades). Not the same as advice for high school, but it can be really cool as a high school student to hang out with professors who do cool stuff... It's also the inside track for getting into college/grad school. Good luck! - Mitchell Tsai

Forget the note. Tell her you love her. Prove it by being there. - LPH™

Like Dino said, "you want to hear me sing serious you gotta' buy an album." - Tom Novak

Kind of a sad story, actually, based on what we see in the post. There's a cautionary tale there about volunteering and the possible downsides of some of the things that help drive this wonderful "free" marketing/economy/business model. - Mark Dykeman

"Whuffie don't pay the rent" is my new personal slogan. - Chris Baskind

I feel this type of story needs hyping, because there's SO much not being said. What about all those people who are being nagged by their spouses but don't want to lose face by admitting that in public? You know it happens. Not everyone in this planet can go to iPhone sales. And the non-stop hype about networking and community makes a lot of folks try too hard. Yeah, yeah it works for some. Don't bet the farm on it. You'll lose. - Eric Rice

From 1987: Eddie Murphy: There's a song out now called "Ain't Nothing Going On But The Rent." So when a man asks a woman "Hey, baby! What's going on?" The woman will say, "The rent, motherfucker!" - Eric Rice

Right on. These lessons are learned the hard way. - Lauren Vargas