Dear Me,

You, my dear, have no idea just how strong and resilient you are yet. You are about to embark on this entirely new chapter of life that will bring you some pain and sadness. Don't let this intimidate you or get you down because you have so much happiness and wonderful memories heading your way as well. But before you dive all in with guns a blazing without a care in the world, hear me out first.

The next four years of your life are going to be years full of so many changes. You will be faced with obstacles that challenge you more than ever before. You will be faced with tough decisions that will keep you up all night tossing in turning, trying to figure out what the "right" choice to make is. You will have your hear broken once, and again, and maybe even again until you find the person deserving of all the wonderful qualities that make up who you are. You will make friends and lose others. You will have moments of intense stress about school and your future but you will also have immense moments of peace and certainty about the path you are on.

With every moment spent on the "roller-coaster" of experiences and emotions that your mind and body will endure, is a moment you are getting stronger, wiser, more compassionate and understanding. In this time, you will discover more about who you are, what inspires you, what breaks your heart and brings tears to you eyes, the things that will light your soul on fire and drive you to peruse and succeed at your passions. Most importantly, over all other things, you will find your worth and never let it become lost again.

Yes, the next four years will be some of the hardest and saddest you've yet experienced. I won't lie to you, it will get dark at times, so dark you begin thinking there might not even be a reason to continue on. Remember, In those moments, there is so much more to live for. I promise. You will be surrounded by a loving group of friends who will be your support when you are weak. And when you regain your strength and courage, you be that friend in return.

So, go out and try new things. Go to the wine and paint class with your friends, take that trip, kiss the person you locked eyes with across the room an hour ago, fall in love, get your heart broken then fall in love again. You are getting ready to go through some of the most uncomfortable years of your life, and through that, you will grow and become a person you never could have imagined. Put yourself out there and take chances. Have experiences and make a collection of unforgettable memories. Because at the end of those four years, you will be able to look back and say you made it.

There will be a moment of reflection that will crash over you like an ocean wave. It is in this moment that you will know that the once new, terrifying, and exciting chapter you were about to begin, is now coming to an end as you begin a new.

In life, there will always be a constant change. That is inevitable, so it is better to come to terms with that early on. Despite that, these next four years will be some of the most impactful. Dive all in, I truly encourage you to. Just don't forget to look up, take a breathe and pause every now and again to appreciate the time, people, emotions and lessons along the way.

Catch ya on the flip side!