Dear Freshman Self,
This year is so hard. You are going to change more than you have in your entire life. You will begin to see your high school self-drift away and a newer person will begin to form. You will meet some people who are different from anyone you’ve ever met and some who mimic the people you hated in high school. You will learn what it’s like to be alone for the first time. These are just a few of the many things this year will teach you. It will not be easy; in fact, it might be one of the hardest things you have faced thus far, but you will make it out stronger than you were before. You will make it out more certain of who you are than you’ve been in years, more confident in yourself and your abilities, and with friends who build you up and love you the way you are. I am sure of this. But it will take a while, and it won’t be easy; it will take some tears and discomfort and courage. Just know that everyone else is as afraid and uneasy as you are—even if they don’t admit it. And know that you will make it through eventually and maybe even come to be grateful for the experience and all it taught you even though you still will have a lot to learn…
Love,
Sophomore Self