Dear Past Self,

I think it's time we learned a few very important things.

It's time we learned that plans don't always follow the way you want them to.

It's time we learned that friendships end sometimes for no reason, and I think it's time we learn that better things are on the way for us both.

As of right now, you're thinking of attending a big Ivy League college for some reason, however that won't be the case for us in the future. You're going to attend a University that's going to be beautiful to you even after you've attended for three years.

I'm sure you still want to pursue a career in culinary just like your dad, but later on you're going to learn to love completely different things, and despite what others say, that's okay.

It's okay to drift away from what you once thought you wanted to do. It's okay to love different things and to want to study them instead, and despite what your family says, you're not a failure or a mess: you're a smart person who has a very bright future ahead.

You're okay.

Friendships unfortunately end in ways that aren't understandable, even to this day, and that's okay. It's okay to feel sad and heartbroken over a friendship that didn't last as long as you thought it would. Sometimes it's better that way.

However, it's because of those broken friendships that you learned new things about yourself that make all the pain worthwhile, and it's that new knowledge that gives you the wonderful chance to meet people who you now consider family.

You're okay.

Confusion, pain and anxiety are all things that you're going to go through in life, no matter what.

Confusion over what you want to study and what you want to achieve in life, pain over heartbreaks and hardships that you'll have and anxiety because things just never go according to plan despite our best intentions.

Regardless of all of that though, you'll be okay.

Even now, as an adult, I still struggle with a few of these things; however, it's important to understand that, as a child, the world doesn't rest on your shoulders. You're not supposed to know what you want to do ten years from now or what college you want to attend.

For the moment, focus on having fun and understand that being different isn't bad.

Above all, though, always stay humble and kind.