I'm writing to you from our most recent major life crossroad because I know you're at one of our earliest. First let me say that the deferral letter you received from your dream school is not the end of the world, even though it will seem like it for many months. You are going to be hard on yourself and grow cynical because it's going to feel like everyone's goals are being met and all of your effort throughout the last three and a half years are going to be in vain. I promise you this is not the case, and in a year's time you're going to see this, too. That letter is a blessing in disguise and your art teacher is right when she says things happen for a reason. But to quell your fears and doubts, let me tell you a little bit about the journey on which you'll soon embark.

That disdain and judgement you have for your future university will be proved absolutely false. You're not going to be a psychology major (I think you already know this, though, despite the fact that you list it as your major on your college applications), and your half-joke, half-desire to be a philosophy major will become a reality. Surprisingly, you're going to find yourself surrounded by English and philosophy majors on a daily basis! These individuals will become the backbone of your college career and a day won't go by when you are not grateful for the opportunity to grow and learn with them.

Over the next four years you're going to love people with your whole heart, and you're going to think they have the best intentions because that's part of trusting people. Some of these people will hurt you in ways you never knew were possible, and you will see new lows in yourself. For a while you're going to think you're unworthy of love, your voice will grow quiet, and you're going to doubt the validity of your emotions and experience. You're going to be afraid, but your heart is going to heal one hundred times over. I want you to know that your emotions are valid, even when they seem like a hindrance. You will meet new people who show you how powerful love is as tool for healing and happiness. They will encourage you and show you how important it is to love yourself as much as you love others. You will fall in love again, and your heart might break a few more times, but there will always be a surplus of love and support to cushion the blows.

I know you don't want to live at home and you want a grand adventure, but commuting is not that bad. In fact, it's pretty great. You get to sleep with your cat and dog at your feet every night and you never need to pay for laundry. You will have those grand adventures a few times and you will get homesick. Being away will show you how valuable home and your family are, and how sometimes you might take them for granted. You're going to learn appreciate your hometown, because at the end of the day and any trip you take, it will be home, and home is pretty irreplaceable. You're also going to see that home is a fluid concept. You will apply the term and emotion of "home" to academic buildings on campus, your new friends, and the new cities you visit. These homes are as legitimate as your hometown. You're going to see some graffiti in a new home, 3,000 miles away from home-home, that says "HOME IS WHERE U FEEL IT," and you're going to know right away that this is a truth.

I want to talk to you about change, because I know you hate the idea of change, spontaneous curve balls, bleak uncertainty, but the thing is, you're going to change. A lot. But it's going to be okay. The way you're approaching your crossroads now is very different than how I'm approaching the future. For a long time, you're going to believe that having a set plan is the only plan. This will be one of the most major changes in your worldview. You're going to find yourself without a plan, and you're going to be calm, because it's okay to embrace the unknown. As you enter your last half of your last year of high school, a blueprint seems appealing, but it's unrealistic. In four years, you're going to find yourself heading into your last semester of college with only a loose gesture drawing of a future paired with calmness and confidence. Plans change suddenly, as does your heart and interests. Your passions will express themselves in ways that lead you off your preconceived path of life. Remember, everything happens for a reason, and that unknown reason will set you free from your own fears.

Good luck on the next four years; I know you're going to be great.