At this time year two years ago, I was moving into my freshman dorm with four girls I didn't know. At this time two years in the future, I'll be graduated and out in the real world with my degree. Sitting here now, I definitely didn't think I would be where I am today, so there really is no way for me to know where I'll be in the next two years -- and that really excites me.

There's just a few things that I hope are going to happen in the next couple of years.

For my future self, I hope to have a job that makes me happy and supports me. A job that will allow me to pay my bills on my own and feel independent. But, the most important thing is that I'm happy. If I ever actually read this back and I'm not happy with my job, then I really hope that I quit and do something that I love. Being happy is the most important thing in life and I don't want to forget that.

To my past self, I am forever grateful that I made the decision to come to college. I had the decision to stay at home and go to the local community college -- which, is the logical answer to some people -- or I had the choice to move to a new city with completely new people. Staying home would have been safe, but I don't like to play it safe. I wanted to see what was out there in the world and I did.

College has brought a happiness to me that I never knew existed. Yes, obviously, I'm so happy when I'm home because I love my family, but nothing brings me happiness like being (mostly) independent and being (mostly) on my own. I love meeting new people and getting to know their culture and life.

I'm so happy that I decided to come to Flagler and that has led me to becoming a student ambassador, gaining another major and going to a new country. If you would have asked me two years ago where I would be right now, I definitely wouldn't have said where I am. I wouldn't change it for a thing.

I love having the opportunity to be able to sit here and be able to reflect on my life so far. I'm so young and I am truly blessed to have had such a magnificent life so far. Thinking about what I've accomplished makes me even more excited for the future.