After spending just about three hours writing, with tired eyes and a very cramped hand, I was finally able to seal the envelope of the letter that I will be opening in just about three and a half years, in May of 2020. I reached just over sixteen pages and used up about two pens.
Originally, I got the idea from my previous experiences writing letters in school. In sixth grade, my health teacher had us write letters to be opened when we reached eighth grade, and then again in eighth grade, to be opened at graduation. Both times, I had mostly forgotten of the letters' existences, let alone what I had written in them. And both times, it was absolutely wild to read them aloud, surrounded by different people, with a different perspective, with more experience. It was exciting to see areas that I grew in, from handwriting to knowledge in certain matters.
Reading about how my favorite show was "Jersey Shore" or all of the hashtags I used to use in middle school was a little tough, but it made me feel so nostalgic. I had written down a list of my closest friends and had included a note to make sure that if I hadn't talked to them in a while, to contact them before college. I did, and being able to reconnect even for just a conversation was amazing, as those are some of the people that helped me grow. I even threw in a few mementos from that year, including a note from one of my best friends, Ariana Grande and Lil Wayne bracelets I used to wear all the time, and an empty pack of gum.
And now, as I get ready to start my second semester of college, and I reflect on how much I have grown just in these four months at Clark University, I can't even imagine how much I will continue to grow in the next three and a half years. So I decided to write another letter to myself, and attempt to capture at least a small focal point as to what I am like right now.
Beginning with basics such as my favorite music, movies, and tv shows right now, I wanted to create a picture for what my life is like right now. I included a list that I made on a separate occasion as a therapeutic and introspective activity, of all of the positive events of 2016. Upon finishing, I immediately recommended it to my friends, as I think that this is such a cool idea (that is, if you are organized enough to hold onto it for a few years -- I don't know if I am honestly LOL).
If you want to write a letter like this but don't know where to start, begin with a list of your favorite things. This is a good way to ease into things with stuff that you are familiar with. Plus, in the future, it'll be exciting to revisit those things that you may have forgotten about over the years. Doing this is also helpful in sparking other topics you may want to write about.
I then went on to write about what I consider to be large parts of my life right now, such as being the EIC of Clark's Odyssey community, just getting a job at the Copy Center at my school, the friends I have made, my focus on improving my mental and physical health, etc. Documenting what your values are and what takes up your time will allow you to, in the future, recognize what these things gave or taught you, or how they may have shaped you.
After this, I spent a little time writing about various stressors in my life. Writing about the things that are currently stressing you out is a positive practice in two different ways. Right now, doing this is helpful to just be able to get the thoughts out on paper. This way, they don't seem as overbearing or inescapable. You can see them before you, they aren't scrambling around in your mind, and you can begin to understand the roots of them and how you may be able to fix them. In the future, it will put things in perspective. Maybe right now whatever it is, it may overwhelm you, but once you have nearly four more years of overcoming adversity under your belt, you will be able to see your strength and determination. It will help you in fighting your anxiety about certain things, as you will be able to see that physical proof that time has given you; no matter how big a problem or obstacle may seem, you can get through it. You got through it, you found solutions to problems that you couldn't necessarily see all the sides of yet. This sense of pride and bravery will be helpful at any point in your life, let alone the presumably scary moments after graduating college, and what follows.
Of course, I dedicated like three to four pages to the beautiful people I am lucky to be surrounded with. I think this part is so important. These are the people who are shaping you into the person you will be when you read that letter in four years. If, for whatever reason, you may not be in contact with those people, it will be nice to remember how much they meant to you in that moment. Showing gratitude and love for other people is something we so often forget to do, and sometimes we need a reminder of how much they mean to us and how much they deserve our love. Spreading this sort of positivity is only beneficial to everyone involved.
From my family, to the group of people that shaped me from high school that I am still lucky to be able to call my best friends, to a close friend from work, to the wonderful people that I have met in college, I wanted to include something about everyone. I wrote a little about where people were at in their lives, some of my favorite memories that happened this year so far with them, about the love they've given me, etc.
Other things that I included were a to-do list and some goals that I wanted to have achieved by then. Setting goals for yourself now for the future gives you something to work toward. Whether it be getting a tattoo, getting a certain job, or working on your mental wellness, these goals will allow you to see how much you have grown. Including things that you want to work on improving in your life right now will show you in the future, either what to continue working on, or what you have accomplished. The to-do list included activities that I like doing now, so that once I am finished reading the letter, I can revisit those same feelings and experiences. Whether it be eating a bowl of Cocoa Krispies or watching "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," this list will let me revisit the person I am now for a little while. I think that by doing this, you will simultaneously feel nostalgic and a strong sense of self-worth. You will feel like you've come full circle, while as if you're also about to start a brand new circle. I think that remembering where you came from is so important, as it shaped you into the person you are, in one way or another.
Finally, I made sure to spread self-love throughout. I included some of my personal mantras that I utilize right now, so that I can remember the hard work and time that I have put into being the best version of myself. I wrote comforting and inspiring messages to remind me of everything that I like about myself, and everything that I am thankful for. Everyone can use a reminder of this at one point. We all deserve to celebrate ourselves.
