Dear Self,
You are about to start your senior year of college…Try not to freak out just yet! I know that is easier said than done, but at least make sure you don’t freak out to a point where you can’t enjoy every minute of this experience. There are a couple of things that you need to remember.
First of all, make sure to take in every moment as it comes. Welcome the chaos of move in day. Make sure to capture that moment in your mind as you overstuff your blue bin trying to bring everything you can to make that cinder block dorm room feel like home. Embrace the moment when you see your roommate after a long summer apart, and make sure to laugh as you both attempt to set up your sides of the room. Accept the lack of privacy that having roommates brings, and make sure to enjoy it. There’s never going to be another time when you and your best friends get to live under one roof.
Have fun. Attend campus events, join a club that is different than what you’re used to, and strike up a conversation with the cafeteria workers. This is your senior year, and you will be making memories that you will tell your children and grandchildren all about one day. Don’t take yourself too seriously, and don’t let others bring you down. This is your year, and only you can decide how it’s going to be. Go out even if you’re tired. Talk to new people and make new friends. Listen to people’s stories even if they are different than yours. You never know what you can learn from another person, and you never know which strangers are friends you haven’t met yet. Go crazy during nights out and appreciate cozy nights indoor. Accept the seasons as they change, and remember, there is nothing like a college snow day.
Work hard and try your best. Don’t forget the reason you are there, and make sure to never give up, even when the workload seems impossible. Perseverance is one of the strongest attributes anyone can have, and the hard work will pay off when you walk at graduation. Spend the extra time studying and putting in work, because you may never get to feel the satisfaction of getting back an “A” paper again after this year. But most importantly, remember that you are more than just a GPA; you are the effort you put in. You are how you treat yourself and others. You are your strengths and goals.
Lastly, never forget to appreciate. Appreciate the exhaustion waking up for class because you and your roommate were up all night laughing. Appreciate the cafeteria workers ready to make you whatever meal you want at your request. Appreciate your homecoming and spring weekends and every other fun activity that goes on around campus. Take nothing for granted, because you’ll never get this experience again. This is your senior year. Embrace it, appreciate it and love every second of it.
Sincerely,
Me
