Dear 18-Year-Old Me,
First off, I want to congratulate you on graduating high school. These next four years of your life are going to be some of the best of your life. You’re going to start college (you know, at the college you aren’t sure you want to go to, but that your parents are pushing you to attend), make new friends and begin to discover what you really want out of life. You’re going to lose a lot of friends, even the super close ones you think are going to be by your side forever, you’re going to get your heart broken and you’re going to become the best version of you that you can.
Let’s start with the whole college ordeal. I know, I know. You aren’t sure that you even want to go to college, yet! Here’s some of the advice I can give you without spoiling everything for you. College is really hard! You can’t just coast through it (especially not with six classes in your first semester) like you tried to do in high school. You’re going to have to work really hard to make mediocre grades. I’m going to tell you now though that you’re going to wind up taking time off after your first year of college -- three years to be exact. In the three-year gap you take from school, you’re going to start working in new environments, move back in with (yikes!) your mom and dad, and you’re going to meet and go on dates with boys (quite a few of them).
The key word here is "boys," up until a certain point. While, yes, you are going to get your heart broken (and break a few hearts yourself!) and feel like giving up on dating, you are also going to meet the most kind, generous, good-hearted man and you’re going to fall head over heels for him. Just be patient when it comes to dating, and don’t rush into anything. I don’t want to give too much away on that end of things so we’ll leave it at that.
Let’s move on to career aspects. You’re going to chase your dream all the way to Nashville and back home, again, and you’re going to feel like giving up -- but don't! At least not yet. You’re going to meet some of your closest friends through music, people who are going to help you figure out just who you are and what you won’t settle for. These people are going to be there for you when you decide to go back to college, which you do! I’m not going to spoil what major you decide on, but you do change your mind from when you had just graduated high school.
This is a pathway that makes you extremely happy and is going to be very fulfilling in the long run, even though it’s a lot of work and science classes. The last thing I want you to know is that you are going to go through some hard stuff, but you survive it and it makes you a better person. Everyone goes through tough periods in life, so you’re not alone. You are surrounded by people who love you, and who won’t leave your side. Just try and stay positive through everything and your life will pan out even better than you had hoped it would as a teenager.
With love,
(Almost) 23-year-old you.
