This is 2018 Fatima speaking to younger Fatima.
You will fail. You will feel like you embarrassed yourself. You will feel super awkward sometimes (whoops). You're going to feel like your life isn't as great as those who have accomplished so much at your age. You're going to get hurt because the world can be mean sometimes: people will treat you in a way that would make you hate yourself. You won't feel loved because, to be honest, you haven't loved yourself yet. You need to because I hate how you wouldn't really take care of yourself. I have to say that you did hurt some people; so, you were mean. Why was that? I'm still unsure. Life will make you feel like you're alone in times when everyone else seems to be so happy, while you're facing your problems. Things will haunt your thoughts, from nightmares to the unknowns of the future. You will forget where your heart is and what to do when you're afraid. You will regret things. You will go through all these falls; but, you will get up from them.Truth is: you will never really get up by yourself. Your inspirations will pick you up, at first. You will hide your face in academics because you will think that that's just you. Little would you know that your academics will lead you to your inspirations and where your heart is. The great poets, leaders (I miss Obama), and your faith will find you. "Le Petit Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry will shelter your childlike spirit, guiding you to a path that is pure and beautiful in its own way. The film wizard, Georges Méliès, will enchant the world for you. The lights of the world will become your inspirations, leading you to keep your head up high.
When UCLA comes into the picture, a happiness worth its own category will find you. Friendship will pick you up the way your inspirations did. You will feel better about yourself. You will love yourself. You will find people whom you will love so much that you will want to spread the love. You will have a best friend. They will continue to have a special place in your heart because they helped shape this happy person in you, which I felt you grow into. With this in mind, I promise you that you will find that switch for that light in the darkest of times (for those of you who got that Harry Potter reference: I'm a Hufflepuff, how 'bout you?) You will be kinder and more loving. You will find that failures and rejections only mean that God/the universe has other plans for you; so, don't force yourself into a career that's clearly not making you happy/invested in your studies.
You may not realize these at the moment when you're struggling in some classes for instance (RIP Chem 30A: Organic Chemistry. You were never nice to me, so you're canceled.) I know how you will feel about rejection letters and disappointments: you will feel inadequate. You will feel anxious a lot. I know you can't hear me right now because I'm in 2018; but by God, younger me, you will be happier than you are now. I'm looking back at all the things you've done and gone through, and I just gotta say: you are going to grow so much from these.
