Dear Future Self,

Stop being a little shit and listen up.

After 20 years worth of empty promises every fall, you'd think maybe one time you'd actually be able to hold yourself to it???

"This year will be different," you say, as you clutch your new planner and new pencils. As if that really made an impact when you said the exact same sentence to yourself last year. You know you always let procrastination kick your ass as soon as September came around.

You're not letting it win this time. And if you feel it creeping up behind you, just say this with me: "I am not a procrastinator. I am an efficient worker."

As your past self, I'm here to remind you of the goals you set for yourself at the end of summer and the beginning of the school year. I'm here to remind you that school isn't always going to be what your world revolves around. Remember to take time away from academics to focus on yourself, your friends and your family. I'm here to remind to take a moment out of your day and just... exist. Keep yourself sane by remembering to breathe and drink water.

And maybe you're breaking because an Economics test is coming up and you can't even begin to understand what the teacher is trying to have you memorize. But don't let that stress cause you to stray from your goals.

You have to embrace the stress because it is the driving factor that will help you reach the finish line come finals week.

So, to conclude this note to yourself... here's some tough love from past you to current you: Stop being a baby. Whining about school isn't becoming of you. Besides, it's not like the work can actually be that hard. Maybe if you spend less time whining about it, and more time doing it... then you would've been done with it already.

Take a breath, look back on where you were because I promise you you've come so much farther than you think you have.

Love,

Your past self.