Dear 18-year-old Hunter,

It's gonna be Tech. Aside from the fact that you didn't apply to any other colleges, you are going to fall in love with your school one day. And I know right now you are still reeling from a heartache that you think will never stop hurting, but you are wrong. One day you are gonna see that God picked out a wife for that boy that was just what he needed. And though you weren't her, you needed him to show you what it was like to break the rules a little. I know some days you look in the mirror and see this person who isn't good enough, but you're wrong. The second you stop looking for the approval from those around you, you will understand that God can use you just the way you are. You don't have to have model long legs and perfect hair to inspire those around you. And in the next 3 years, you are gonna be wrong more times than you are right, but that's okay. Sometimes the only way to find the right answer is to guess wrong a few times. You are gonna have a job that makes you compromise who you are. It will teach you to respect your body for what it is: a shell to protect a fragile heart. However, it doesn't validate you, and people can appreciate it more for what they can't see than what they can. There are gonna be days -- lots of long days -- where you feel like you are going to be alone forever, and, from what I can tell, those days aren't ending any time soon. But I can tell you that you will learn to see the beauty in being alone. You will learn how to fight for your career and your dreams and the person you are, so that one day when someone loves you, they can love the truest, most loved you. Most important of all, 18 year old Hunter, you will have lots of friends come and go. Never forget the ones that were there when you were at your lowest, because those are the ones you will want to bring with you to the top.

With lots of love and an open heart,

21-year-old Hunter