When I was a senior in high school one assignment we had to do was write a letter to our future selves. While I didn’t think this was an important assignment I forgot all about it. About a week ago I received a letter from my Mom (Thanks, Mom!). When I opened it and read it, I was completely overwhelmed with feelings of nostalgia. Four years later I can tell you that it was very much an important assignment.
I pondered sharing the letter and decided that this should be shared. So here it reads:
Dear 21-year-old Bridget,
I hope you’re doing well. I hope 21 is better than 17 because remember the time you couldn’t drive after 9 pm? That is currently where I am. If you are reading this you should hopefully be graduating college. You probably forgot about this letter, seeing how you aren’t thrilled about writing it right now. Reading this letter means you are entering into the next chapter of your life. Reading this letter should show me, you, us (not really sure what tense I should be writing this in) how much I’ve/you’ve grown. Obviously, I have no idea how much I will grow considering I don’t even know what college I am going too so in this letter I am going to write myself a list of things I hope happens for me:
I hope I pick the correct college. Future me, you know how lax I am about choosing a school. 4 years from now I want to be graduating from a place I call home.
I hope to find friends. This sounds lame but growing up in Chester where there are 65 kids in our graduating class we have had no choice but to be together. I feel as though I don’t really know how to make friends.
Never having to do math or science again sounds like a dream come true!!!!!!!!
I want to keep in touch with Suazo (Last name). In four years I am going to read this and I hope he is still my best friend. He’s been committed to going to Boston and I am really excited for him I just know I am staying in New York.
I want to be more mature but not in a boring way just in the way that I can find the good in everyone. We’ll see.
My parents keep telling me I am going to be great but what if I am not great? What if I have just been skating by for the last 4 years? College will be the real test. So, Bridget, I wish you the best of luck in college where ever you choose (Brockport, Scranton, Oswego, and Ramapo). Choose the right one PLEASE and do well AND PLEASE have fun.
Best,
17 Year old Bridget
Minus the awkward writing style and lack of punctuation I used the first time around, If I could write a letter back to 17 year old me I would tell her something like:
Congrats to 17-year-old Bridget. You’re going to do it! You are graduating on time. Not only with a degree in business but the second degree in Public relations, a minor degree in international business and a concentration in marketing. You picked Oswego, which quickly became your home. The thought of parting with this place makes you sadder each and every day. You picked up your cap and gown last week and found out you’re actually graduating Cum Laude (with honors). When you called Mom, naturally she started crying.
You made tons of friends. Friends you’ll have for the rest of your life. You actually are planning on living with them after college WOOO. AND you are still really close with Suazo. He is actually visiting in 2 weeks!
You pushed yourself to try new things and you grew as a person. I would say some days you are a mature professional and some days you are still the kid, class clown, goof-ball and you always will be. You made such good friends, you are actually in one of their weddings this summer (shout out to Paige).
You studied abroad! To Ireland, for a whole summer. How proud I was of myself when I really committed to going. It was the best summer of our life. You were an intern, and you traveled and met the family. You can’t wait to go back again.
At Oswego You worked on campus for 3 years, you had 3 internships, you TA’d in the business school for 3 semesters (Teacher’s Assistant), you joined clubs, played sports, went out, stayed in, took naps, pulled all-nighters laughed, cried, laughed until you cried. You are really happy.
17-year-old Bridget had nothing to worry about. She did grow up in so many ways.
I didn’t remember writing that letter, however, I am so fortunate that I did. I entered college how every student should; with a clean slate and an open mind. Not afraid of trying new things.
I graduate college in one month and can honestly say I am proud of who I am and ready to move into the next chapter of my life. Will you be able to say that?
Even if you didn’t write a letter to yourself in high school, sit down and do it now. Write to yourself from yourself and open it when you think you’re about to enter into the next phase of your life. It’s a wonderful thing to see where life takes you. After writing this, I plan you sit down and write a letter to 29-year-old Bridget. I can’t wait to see where I will be!