A Letter to My Old Self

What I would have said to the younger and more clueless version of myself

To The Old Me,

Hey, wake up! Your world is about to get bright, because, trust me, this is your future self talking here. And when I say bright, I mean… brighter than sunshine. You have no idea how much is in store for you.

I know that the world is such a confusing place to live in for you. You can’t solve algebra problems, write a full-blown essay by yourself, or cut tomatoes in the kitchen without your mother yelling at you….but you can’t do those just yet. Things may feel hard now, but I know you have the guts and drive to keep pushing forward and putting in your best effort at everything you do in life, and develop an eagerness to learn about the real world and change it for the better. You can solve algebra problems, write a full-blown essay that will earn that ‘A’ grade, and cut tomatoes for your lovely family members to enjoy at lunch… it will just take time and effort, which is what you have right now! (And the fact that I am writing this very letter to you is proof!)

You might wonder where you will be in middle school, high school, and college. I don’t want to ruin all the many (I will say, both pleasant and unpleasant) surprises you will encounter, but I am not going to sugarcoat everything either. You are going to struggle (Hey, it’s inevitable! Stop groaning!). You are still going to get yelled at by your parents SOOOOO many more times. You will keep feeling pain throughout your next decade of life. But at the same time, you will grow, thrive, and blossom into a resilient and persistent individual and leader. You will meet so many people that will befriend, love, and care for you. And I mean… a lot of people, from talented musicians like you to the science nerds to the teachers, coaches, and mentors. And that will be because of your growing pains along the way. The screaming from your parents, the tears, and the sweat. (So yes, this is also your cue to start listening to your parents more closely!)

I know you are giddy and eager to know what college you will go to. Sorry but that will be a big surprise for you to experience later. But you are going to be so happy and elated to find out. Maybe it was not what you are expecting, but you are going to get out there and have the time of your life there.

This college is not going to be easy to get into when you apply there in your last year of high school, but it will not be the letter grades and numbers that get you in. It will be YOU as a whole that gets yourself in. I know that doomed feeling when you get anything lower than an ‘A’ on a test. It’s horrible because you know your parents will find out at one point and yell at you for hours. But they yell at you because they believe in you. I know it may be quite the amount of pressure sometimes and that you may doubt yourself too, but I want you to believe in yourself and not just focus on the numbers. You are smart, kind-hearted, and passionate. You are only starting your life and can already do many things that many people cannot do. If you can already do all of this and if you could make it so far already… why not go further? So I am here to say that you got this and you will make it through your childhood gracefully. Just keep your head up and keep pushing hard as you have been already.

You are going to be alright, and I will always be proud of you no matter what you do and where you go in life.

Sincerely,

The Future Me