Dear Me,

I can still remember you, four years ago, about to start college. I can remember the long hours you were putting in at your high school job, that intense crush you had on the guy you wouldn’t get with, and the fear you had for the future.

Well, I’m writing this letter to you to say…everything is all right.

But everything is different.

Sure, you didn’t stick to the college you started off at, and that is okay. ULM is much better anyway, especially the football games.

Change is for the best, and one day, sometime soon, in the middle of your first semester of college, you’ll realize that you made a mistake when you chose schools. But you’ll also learn that mistakes aren’t the end of the world, and transferring isn’t that bad.

No, you didn’t stay in your major. Teaching just wasn’t in the cards for you, and even though you love history more than anything in the world (after all, you are a total nerd), you really love the idea of law school much more.

Yes, you read that right, four years from now, you will be prepping to apply to LAW SCHOOL. Life is pretty awesome.

No, you still won’t be ready to settle down just yet. You still haven’t found the one. But it is okay. Every day you understand more and more that you don’t need another person to validate who you are.

And you are very, very happy.

See, you did learn you could handle life after your mom moved overseas. You learned to appreciate her more.

You also learned that you were way more confident than you could ever imagine and how to roll with the punches that life swung.

You learned making new friends is easy.

And losing old friends is hard.

Speaking of friends, yes you still have the same best friend, and he is still great.

You learned that it was possible to work 8 hour days and go to school.

You learned how to pay bills and take care of cats.

You learned that fast food isn’t always the best idea and that cooking isn’t SO hard.

And you learned to believe in yourself.

To take that fear and stand up and be brave.

Now as I sit, writing this letter to you, I want you to know that I am proud of you. For all those moments you sat in the car alone crying about the future, I need you to know that everything will be okay. Those moments weren’t all in vain. Your fear was valid, and your sorrow was valid, too. But things are okay.

I have to warn you, things do get rough over the next four years--another thing you learn is that life isn’t going to be easy. There will be times when you feel defeated. There will be times you will want to curl up in bed and never leave.

You will leave your bed.

You will go on, day after day, and you will build yourself a life, and a niche--something to be proud of, something you are proud of.

So just keep going.

And soon enough you’ll be here, typing this letter, in eager anticipation for the next four years.

With unconditional love forever and always,

Me