A Letter to My Past Self | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

A Letter to My Past Self

We all have things we might want to say to our past selves. This is what I'd like to tell me.

52
A Letter to My Past Self
Mary Bryan

Dear Younger Me,

I know that you’ve gone through tough things. Some things that you’ll talk about later with some people and things you won’t ever want to let leave your lips. I’ve learned that, once again, our parents are right when they say “life sucks” to any tantrum we have about chores or activities.

But life is also amazing.

I’ve learned that getting through life is finding the parts of it that don’t suck, the parts that you want to relive over and over again. It’s going to be hard sometimes, maybe harder than other times, but you can get through by looking for the good. Those moments with your friends, the moments you get to learn more about yourself or about the people around you, the moments you get to go out on adventures.

Also, don’t ever be afraid to talk to people. Let it out, let people know how you feel. Don’t let yourself get sucked into a hole of depression from holding to much in. Don’t be afraid to cry, find a shoulder that will comfort you. Yell when you get angry, don’t hold it back when someone deserves it. Maybe find a way to say it kinder than if you just let it spew from your mouth, but say it.

You’re going to go through heartbreak. It happens, of course, to everybody. Don’t be afraid of it. There are important lessons to learn through each heartbreak. A lot of those lessons are about who you are and who you want to be in life. They will help you get ready for your life and be prepared to take on your path with all your strength. Of course, it’s also about finding out who is meant to be in your life for years, and those meant to be there only for months. Some people just aren’t meant to be in your life, and it’s hard to accept, but it’s necessary to be able to keep going. There are better things, better people, that will encourage you through life and lend you a helping hand when you need it.

There are going to be situations that seem impossible to get through, to handle and to live through. You get to decide just how much life will suck from you. Don’t let it suck everything away from you before you have even started on your journey.

Also, don't ever be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Do different things, experiment to see what you like doing and what you don't like. Find ways to express yourself, like through writing, drawing, talking, etc. There are countless ways to express oneself, and many are fun to try to do, even if you don't end up liking those things in the long run.

Take opportunities as they come. If you think you would like to take up an opportunity but think that you don't deserve it or it's something to do with money, don't let those things hold you back. You'll regret not taking those opportunities later in life. There are always ways to get money, such as fundraising, and if you have doubts about being able to do it, parents are always there to help you talk through your problems.

Younger me, don't be afraid to try things to find out who you are. Find what you think is right and wrong, find what you believe in and what you don't. The power is in your hands, and it's up to you to control that power.

Sincerely,

Future Self

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Things You Can Get Away With Now That You're At College

83% of my trends in college would have been shamed in high school.

303
college life
Google Images

Transitioning from high school to college can be a stressful experience, especially if you're like me and hate change. Over the past two years I've realized there's many things I couldn't get away with in High School that are typically applauded in college.

1. Eat

Keep Reading...Show less
Blair Waldorf

Life is hard. You know what makes it even more tough? Living with chronic b*tch face (CBF). This condition is so debilitating that I have decided to chronicle the 10 things everyone who suffers from CBF experiences. Who better to help me than the queen of CBF herself, Blair Waldorf?

Keep Reading...Show less
Harvard Students

I thought senioritis in high school was rough until I became a college senior about to go into the real world. I'm supposed to have everything figured out, right? I mean I went through four years of tough classes and serious self-searching (and crying). What I found overall was Senioritis sneaking up on me.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

8 Texts You Get From Your High School Friends

You might not see them everyday anymore, but you're still friends and your text messages prove it.

363
High School Friends
Ashlynn West

It takes a little while to get used to not seeing your high school best friends every day. Going away to college causes a lot of changes, but one thing that will never change is my love for my high school BFFs, and the texts that I get from them. Here are just 8 of the texts I get from them on the weekly:

Keep Reading...Show less
legally blonde

College is filled with many things, and we're so often lectured to make the right decisions as we head out on our own into the college life. But sometimes it's necessary to indulge in some guilty pleasures as well as just doing things because you can. And honestly, a lot of the time it's inevitable. College is no piece of cake that's for sure, so it's okay to do some things you deep down know you shouldn't....once in a while anyways.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments