Dear May 2015 me,

I cannot believe you were finishing high school almost exactly a year from today. Everything is very exciting and I know that you are simply thrilled to get the hell out of there. I also know that you are extremely scared because you’ve recently made the final decision about where you are going to college and you are beginning to realize it’s kind of far away from your dog (and your family I guess). I understand your anxiety, because I still feel it sometimes now. Right now I feel it again because I am about to go home for three months. I never thought I’d be nervous to go home until now, and I bet you would never have guessed that either.

I really want to let you know that I am so proud of you. I actually still have a hard time believing that you chose to go to Washington for college, but I’ll let you know now that it was the best decision you could have ever made for us. I know it’s such a cliché to tell you that everything has changed, but it truly has. You are ten times more confident, happy, independent, and brave. You are also much more stressed out than you are now, but that just means that you have chosen to challenge yourself, which is one of the biggest things you can do.

You have met the coolest people you have ever met in your life, friends, mentors, and professors alike. Please do not worry about making friends when you get on campus because there is pretty much no way to not make friends (and everyone is just as desperate as you are, so please don’t get too worked up about it). If you knew that you were going to join a sorority, dance in front of an audience of peers, and become an orientation leader for the next batch of first-years, you probably would have laughed. You've realized that these things make you so happy even though they are a little scary. I am so excited for you to realize that you can be uncomfortable and feel the best you have in years.

It is not to say that you have completely lost the girl you are now, but I want to tell you that you have achieved things for yourself you would have never thought possible if you had remained in your comfort zone. I will not tell you that you didn’t have days that truly sucked and made you think about quitting. Some days you missed home too much or got a bad grade or were deeply sad for no good reason. But you have learned that those days happen and it’s absolutely normal. You learn how to practice self-care and that you have gained friends that are honestly there for you and your happiness (and will bring you hugs and food when you need it).

So in all of the chaos of graduation and finishing your high school experience, find peace in knowing that you are a work in progress. You may not feel very confident in yourself or your abilities right now, but you will learn to love the process that changes you for the better. Don’t stress too much and get in all of the hugs you can give to your dog.

I look forward to seeing who you will be even further in the future, but in the meantime, have a great summer.

With love,

May 2016 me