Love is in the air, and in the spirit of the season, I wanted to write a love letter to myself, 2 years ago, in my senior year of high school.
Dear me,
You’re almost at the finish line! I know it’s that time of year when you’re getting decisions that could change your life. It seems like everyone around you is getting into their dream school, and you’re wondering where you’ll end up. You’ll get rejections, and you’ll get acceptances—both will make you cry.
You’re gonna feel like the whole world is on your shoulders. It feels like the school that picks you will determine the rest of your life, and everyone else seems to agree. Don’t get me wrong, finding the right college is important. Picking the school you want to commit to isn’t a decision you want to take lightly. I know that things won’t turn out the way you imagined them to—life almost never does. But, I also know that you ended up exactly where you’re meant to be.
It’s so easy to compare yourself to others, worry over your choices, and imagine how this one decision could determine your whole future. It’s really hard, especially when your family hasn’t been through the same thing. I remember feeling like I was already one step behind before I even started. I promise you, it wasn’t true.
When you get to college, you get a chance to create yourself. You have so much freedom, and yet so many people are there to support you. You’ll make mistakes, but you’ll learn and pick yourself up again. I know it’s the cliche that everyone tells you when you’re graduating, but it’s really true. When you’re ready, you’ll learn that mistakes aren’t the end.
You’ll meet people who will actually change your life. People you couldn’t imagine living without. You’ll think back to those rejections and be thankful that they led you to your family away from home.
Most of all, I want you to know that you’ve got this. If you think that this decision could ruin your life, you aren’t giving yourself enough credit. You’re smart, you’re resourceful, and you survived four years in high school. I don’t have to tell you how hard that was. But come June, you’ll be on that graduation stage, and I know you’ll be ready for the next chapter, whether you feel like it, or not.
Love,
You (a little older, and a little wiser)