Hi Rian,

It’s me, you! It’s you at the end of fall semester in 2016…or at least it was supposed to be! When you had the idea to write a letter to your future self about procrastinating, it was the middle of December and you were finishing up your fall semester of classes. But because of your procrastination tendencies, you procrastinated on writing a letter to yourself about procrastinating, and now it’s the middle of March in 2017 and you’re halfway through your spring semester! So needless to say, you’ve already had plenty of time to shoot yourself in the foot, but maybe in your last two semesters of college, this letter can help you. For this semester, however, it’s not too late to turn things around. It’s never too late!

Now, let’s talk about your fall semester of 2016…your grades were average, as usual. You could have gotten more A’s that semester, but you procrastinated HARD on assignments and papers, and you ended up doing a lot of stuff last minute. Now that you’re closing in on your last year of college, you need all the A’s you can get to raise your GPA. Last semester, you shot yourself in the foot at the last second and you came away disappointed with your final grades, as it seems you often do. Do you know how you can end this cycle of disappointment? Try harder! Work harder! Put in that extra effort, that extra hour of studying, that extra push. It can make a huge difference. DON’T skip class unless you’re actually sick, and when you’re in class, for god’s sake, TAKE NOTES! You can use those notes later to study for the final exam, and that could be the difference between an A and a B in the class.

Lastly, some words of motivation. Some people aren’t as lucky as you, and don’t get the chance to go to college and get a degree. Can you believe you’re going to finish college and have a Bachelor’s?! It feels so unreal that you’re going to have a Bachelor’s degree, but it’s happening, and it’s happening fast! Don’t lose steam as you near the end of your journey at VCU. I’m tearing up just thinking about the end, but once you graduate, you can start working full time! Isn't that freaking exciting?!

Remember that YOU ARE SMART, and now’s the time to prove it. Now may be the ONLY time to prove it. Say it with me: “I AM NOT THROWING AWAY MY SHOT.” Say it again! “I AM NOT THROWING AWAY MY SHOT!” (I know Hamilton had a big influence on you this semester.) Work your absolute hardest, and you will be infinitely happy with the outcome. You already know (and you’ve already proven) that if you try hard, you can achieve great things. You can get fantastic grades that you’re incredibly proud of. Remember the things that help you stay motivated: exercising, eating healthy, meditation, yoga, doing your makeup, painting your nails, getting enough sleep, and even drinking coffee (in moderation). You can use these things to help you along the way. Your focus, determination, and hard work will pay off in the end, and you’ll be glad you listened to your own advice! :-)

Love, Rian