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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCF chapter.

Dear Future Self,

Wherever you may find yourself, I hope it is with a heart full of courage and a head full of hope. They say you never truly realize how much you’ve changed until you can admit that at one time, you didn’t think you would. It’s a continuous cycle we go through during our time here on Earth. We feel on top of the world and in the deepest pits of the ocean. We forget that we have survived before and will continue to survive again. Regardless of where you are now, I hope you have changed for the better.

I wish there was a way for you to back up and reflect on the all the amazing things you’ve seen, done and been. I wish there was a way to stop time so you could realize that who you rushed to be is fragmentally made up of every person you’ve been.

More-so than anything, college is designed to be four years of personal, academic and professional growth. Every time you pushed through being too tired to study for one more hour or went out of your comfort zone to join that one club were times you were growing into yourself without knowing it. I hope you can look back one day and thank yourself for never settling for what felt easy. 

I hope you are never afraid to fail. Failing means you’ve tried to do something entirely new to you. College, as ironically as it seems, is all about learning how to be proud of your failures. You’ve gotten through what felt like never-ending semesters. You can push through the hard times now.

Never lose sight of your biggest dreams. Remember all the hard work it took to get you where you are now and harness that. You are in control of your own future and you can decide how you will spend your one precious life.

That being said, I hope you’ve learned to realize that life can be measured in more than just milestones. It can be measured in something as small as coffee spoons. Measuring in milestones means you can easily overlook the smaller important moments. You are made up of much more than just your biggest successes. Be proud of your small accomplishments. Take ownership of your mistakes. Apologize when necessary. Never be afraid to learn something new.

Push through the things that seem unbearable. Study for your exams. Apply for that internship. Reconnect with that old friend. You are capable of far more than you think you are. Do not give up when times get tough. Instead, remind yourself of how far you have come and how far you will continue to go.  

Sincerely,

Someone who is so excited to meet you.

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A senior at the University of Central Florida, Rose is majoring in International Relations & Comparative Politics with minors in Diplomacy, History, and Intelligence and National Security. For her final year as a Knight, she is serving as the Senior Editor for Her Campus @ UCF. Outside of doing copious amounts of homework, she spends an unhealthy amount of time reading historical fiction, watching planes fly by outside of her apartment window, and eating ice cream from the pint. After college, she hopes to finally figure out the secret to life, or at least how to grow 2 more inches.
UCF Contributor