Dear Freshman Me,
You’ve crossed one milestone and you’re onto the next. College. I know that you are terrified about what people will think of you, how you’re going to finish your degree in four years, and whether or not you picked the right school to meet all of your needs. Let's keep this cut and dry. You will get over what people thought of you and make some friends, you have picked the perfect school, and you’re going to finish your degree. In three years you’ll accomplish so much for your development as an adult and that’s something you should be proud of. Not about how many shows you’ll get into or whether or not your new professors will like you. A lot of 20-somethings will stay as immature as they were when they first entered college and will never change. You will. Focusing on your growth, as a human being, is one of the most important life lessons you learn at college and you will do that. You'll grow beyond lengths and measures that some people thought weren’t possible.
Don’t worry about what the future brings. Focus on your classes and your craft. Right now, you’re not doing that and you’re too worried and stressed about other people's needs and you're trying to make a social life for yourself. But you don’t need people to be happy again. You’ll learn that you’re craft will always be there backing you up whenever you’re not feeling like yourself. If I had learned all that before coming to college, I know that I would have done much better in my overall growth as an actress. Keep honing in on your craft and make it your own no matter how big or small your character is. It's not the amount of lines you have that matter, it's the work that you do behind it.
I know you’re going through a tough time with being away from your parents and friends back at home, and you’re dating someone you barely know at a long distance. It scares you to the point where you think you'll never see them again but you will, I promise you. You will hang out with your best friends and it might be a whole year until you see them again, but you will be with them because they love you. It is special when you’re reunited with them again and it’s even sweeter than you’d expect. Social media has created a whole different source of communication for people we love who we don’t see on a daily basis. And that's okay. I know you love connecting with a person face-to-face but for now, you'll stay in touch through Facebook.
Just keep reminding yourself that you are going to be okay, and that there will be a light at the end of the tunnel. I know you’re extremely tense and nervous about all that is to come. You’re going to make some mistakes, you’re going to lose some friends, and you’re going to fail some exams. Everyone does in college. Don’t let those little things bring down your self-esteem. Right now, you're so blinded by what you have around you that it is eating you up. Keep your head strong and focused because I know you better than anybody else. You can do it!
With Much Love,
Your older and wiser self
