To my current self,

Remember sophomore year, when you were in such a depressed state of loneliness and you thought that you could never make it out of there? Well, you did. Remember when you got your first C in math and thought it was the end of the world and that you weren’t going to get into college? Well, it wasn’t, and you actually got eight college acceptance letters. And remember last year when you thought you would be back home for your second semester of college? Well, you’re not. Remember the summer before senior year when you lost some friends and thought that year would never be the same without them? Well, it wasn’t the same—it was better. You have overcome so many obstacles over the years, and you’re going to overcome more in the future. You can and will overcome any obstacle that comes your way. You just need to keep a positive mindset. I know it’s hard sometimes, but you’re so positive and encouraging to others, so start taking your own advice. You are so focused on school, your job, and your extracurriculars, but don’t forget to take a moment to pet that adorable dog you saw on your way to class, or actually introduce yourself to that cute boy that lives on your floor. If you took your own advice and felt about yourself the way the you tell others to feel about themselves, you would be unstoppable. Be unstoppable.

To my future self,

I hope that, by now, you have gained the strength to move on from everything that has ever hurt you, and I hope that you’ve let go of all of the anger, and those problems, the problems that weren’t even yours to begin with. I hope that you have gained the confidence to truly believe in yourself, just like how you tell everyone to believe in themselves. By now, I hope that you have finally stopped comparing yourself to others, and have realized that your life is freaking awesome, too, not just everyone else’s! I hope you’re truly happy, and not just happy in what you do, but in who you are. And, if you’re at a point in life when all of your friends are married and have kids and you don’t, I hope you will be happy for them instead of being jealous like you used to be. Just focus on being the best possible version of you, and don’t settle for less. I hope by now, or one day soon, that you will have accomplished those goals on your bucket list, like learning how to play the piano or learning French. I hope that you have really lived up to having “I lived” by One Republic as your theme song for life. I hope you can look back one day when you’re old and say, “Wow, I did it all.” I wish you all the best in your future, and a lifetime full of happiness and no regrets.