I think about my future quite often, usually once or twice a day. I think about the important things like my future husband, my family, and my career. It’s crazy to think that one day I will have a ring on my finger or I’ll wake up listening to the faint running of kids throughout the house. I try not to let it consume my mind. As I know it is important to have a slight awareness of my future, I want to be able to fully enjoy my life and every second that passes by.

Sitting here in my bed, I look around my dorm room. I think about how I’m starting my second year of college. I appreciate how blessed I am to be at such a stunning school 10 hours away from my home. I think about my sorority and the absolutely beautiful sisters who have become family. I guess what I am trying to say is that I am entirely too amazed by the people in my life. I am so appreciative of this life that I'm fortunate enough to live.

As I think about my future (not going to lie), I am scared. I am scared because I don’t know anything. I am all too familiar with my past and present, but my future is a land of the unknown. It’s similar to that Biology lab you had to do in high school. You had to create a hypothesis based on what you knew about the topic. You never knew exactly what was going to happen, and sometimes you were surprised to see the outcome.

Right when I think I have my future figured out, something always changes. One thing I learned about this world is that change is inevitable. To my future self, I hope that you become more accustomed to this concept. So many people have come and gone, but I’ve learned to be thankful for those people who decided to stick around. That means more to me than those people will ever fully understand.

So I’d say as for right now, I’m hanging in there (like a normal college student)… Basically, trying to figure out my next steps. My major means nothing to me if that’s the only thing I have figured out. I think about how one of the best decisions I ever made was going to an out of state school for college. Why? Because I was able to relocate myself in the most beautiful city in the world and become friends with those who I felt a connection with. I wasn't forced to remain friends with the same girls throughout my whole life. I’ve been extremely independent my whole life, but living on my own is a whole new concept that I love. So I suppose now that you’re caught up, I have a few questions that cross my mind every so often. I know you have the answers, but what would be the fun in knowing exactly how your life will turn out? Things like: Will I have that wrap-around porch or those red shutters at my dream house? Who am I going to spend the rest of my life with? What are my kids going to look like or how many will I have? Where will my career take me?

I could write out a step-by-step playbook of how I think my life will play out, but I will never honestly know until it happens. So fifty years from now, I can picture how I’d like to see my life, but I would never be able to have a concrete schedule.

So for now, I think I’ll just enjoy my young years: my years of no responsibilities except for me. I think I’ll focus on making myself proud and become that confident young woman I’ve been dying to see.

Oh and one last thing... travel as often as you can.