Dear Self,

Welcome to 2018! To begin, I must say that I am quite proud that you have made it to where you are today. Although the transition from home to school was a quite difficult one to say the least, you overcame it and made the best of your first semester. While at school you surrounded yourself with incredibly positive and fun-loving people, you met your goals for grades, and you ate "relatively" healthy.

2017 was an absolutely amazing year to say the least. You traveled to 7 states ranging from New York to Mississippi, you participated in a life-changing service trip, you went to 4 proms, you graduated high school, you moved into college, you joined a sorority, and last but not least you had fun the entire time. While this all sounds well and good, there were moments this year that weren't all sunshine and rainbows. You struggled immensely with choosing a college, you spent time with your mom as she battled a frustrating illness, and you could not stand the thought of staying at college during the first month.

However, through those positive moments of the year, and certainly the negative ones, you remained a kind, loving, and optimistic person. You did not let your struggles define you, but instead, use them to help those around you. You did not burden your problems on others but instead worked to build up those around you so that together, nothing is impossible.

2018 is a new year and a time for new goals and resolutions. While some say resolutions never work and are never worth it, I could not disagree more.

In 2018 I will:

-Eat Healthier and drink more water

-Take better care of myself

-Be more patient and kind

-Love myself and those around me as genuinely and as wholeheartedly as I can

-Not get frustrated by things that I cannot change, but instead be trusting that they will work out the way they are supposed to

-Contact my friends and family back home more often

-Listen when people are talking to me with full focus and attention

-Grow as a person and help those around me to do the same

Cheers to an exciting year ahead full of adventure, growth, and fun!