Dear 2016 me,

I remember exactly how you felt like it was yesterday. You’re trying your best to keep it together, but in reality, you’re barely holding on. Stress is hitting you from all sides and all you want to do is sleep. You’re confused about everything in your life, especially your future.

You’re not sure what you’re going to do after graduation. You aren’t even sure that you’ll make it very far past graduation. I know how you feel and I sympathize with you.

But I’m here to tell you not to give up.

I know that it may seem like your future is going to be full of stress, but that’s not necessarily the case. Sure, the first few months after graduation will be tiring and monotonous as you try to find the energy to apply for jobs while getting your anxiety under control, but that’s just the first few months.

After that, you will find a job that you will love more than anything: substitute teaching. You’ll make connections at work and gain more confidence than you could ever imagine. It will lead you towards a new career path that you had ruled out for many years. But in order to get there, you need to get your bachelor’s degree, so finish your homework and don’t procrastinate on any of your projects.

I know another big concern is the relationships in your life. The fear that you will lose the important people in your life is one that will continue to plague you. That being said, try not to worry too much about that. There are people out there who genuinely care for you, no matter what the voices in your head are saying. Your family especially loves you. You may think that they will be disappointed in the effort you’re providing, but really, they couldn’t be more proud of you!

You’re about to finish college in four years, which is something not many can say. Just know that many people in your life are happy for you.

Of course, this isn’t to say that your problems aren’t worth worrying over. Life is full of stressors and you’ve got a lot hitting you in the face right now. Just try not to worry about them too much in the present moment, okay?

Focus on your studies and whatever else you need to do to graduate. The rest of your worries are problems you can tackle afterward and there will be plenty of time to tackle them after you’ve graduated. Also, try not to lose sleep over these problems. They may suck, but they’re not worth hurting yourself over.

I know you probably won’t listen to me about that last part, but seriously. All of the problems you’re facing right now will not be the problems that will plague you in the future. Worry about one thing at a time, because soon enough you will have everything figured out.

Also, I’m proud of how far you’ve come.

Sincerely,

2018 me.