There is so much good advice pointed at freshman and sophomores from women who wish they could reverse time and console their drunken crying selves, like advice telling girls to avoid the bangs they will absolutely want (I hope I don’t regret my current haircut…). With all of the amazing senior women telling their freshman selves advice, I want to give my senior self some quick information on what I truly hope she is, so here it goes:
Dear Senior Self,
Here are 10 things that I—your sophomore self—hope, in reality, you are in the next two or three years.
1. Be in shape.
Seriously, homegirl. I know how much you love those chocolate covered jelly beans but I also know how much you love yoga and not looking like you love chocolate covered jelly beans. Please for me, for right now as I’m a child and as you are an adult, put them down and hit up the gym.
How: Make it a goal to hit up that gym twice a week. Grab friends and go, even if it’s just for 30 minutes!
2. Have pictures.
Please. Please. Please. I know it’s hip to take a ton of pics and put them all over the internet, but please have some printed out so senior-me can look through them and cry happy little tears about all of the late nights I had with girls who just wanted to have fun.
How: While you’re binge watching F.R.I.E.N.D.S., instead of scrolling through Twitter, upload your favorite pictures to Walgreens online and pick them up a couple days later. It’s only 13 cents and will bring a minimum of 14 cents worth of joy. Profit.
3. Be proud.
Alrighty, I get it senior-me. You’re a little self-conscious about certain things, like the way your tummy is not as flat as Kate Hudson’s but I hope you are proud of the last couple years! I hope you love holding that degree that my sophomore-self is currently dreaming of through an endless stream of all-nighters and Red-Bull.
How: Be stoked on your degree and own it. Even if right now you feel like it will never be over, own that. Start being proud of what youre doing now. Just be stoked about yourself.
4. Little. Black. Dress.
I know this seems so silly, but lets just think about all of the times you’ve stood in your closet wishing you had that perfect little black dress, senior me. I hope you have that. I hope it cost a lot of money. I hope we look killer in it. I don’t want to worry about that anymore, kay?
How: If you see it, despite how much it costs and how much you owe in textbook rentals, snag it.
5. Adventures.
Hi, so I hope that you are a serious bada**. I hope that you have gone skydiving or skinny dipping or backpacking instead of a drunken Spring Break. Looking at you, I hope you have done things that have me currently shaking in my boots! I also hope we have fun doing all of these things.
How: Go on crazy funfilled trips. Do the things that absolutely scare you to the grave, like skydiving or snorkeling! Just go. And take pictures. And be proud!
6. Read something…please.
I hope by the time I am you, I have read a couple of classics. Books that break my heart, put it back together again, only to shatter it one last time. Books that make me think about my life purpose, if I even have one. Please senior self, read.
How: Make a list of all of the books you want to read by the time you graduate, grab a handful of them at a thrift store or a Barnes and Noble, and start trekking your way through. Enjoy them.
7. Be apart of something.
I know that right now as a sophomore, getting involved really only seems to take me away from my Netflix account and heated blanket. But, senior self, I hope you have found something that you love and you are apart of it in some level. Beekeeping, book club, cooking, Her Campus Utah, I don’t care. Just like it and have fun.
How: Look for clubs that interest you on campus or in the community, and get involved. I can almost guarantee that you’re not the only one who is into paper mache.
8. Please, for the love of God. Be over that high school boyfriend.
Okay, he’s still working at that fast food restaurant, and it’s been a couple years since he graduated. Let’s move on… But right now, I’m still hung up on the way his blue eyes sparkled like a beautiful perfect ocean and the way his shirt smelled like the perfect combination of cologne and him. And the way he called me “gorgeous.” Kay, thank God I deleted his number!
How: Meet new people. Break-ups suck, break-ups are hard, and what really sucks and what is really hard, is that people have to keep on living as if they are fine when really they are hurt. So senior self, I’m giving this one over to you, I hope you’ve branched out and more then that, I hope you’ve had your heartbroken one more time.
9. STILL HAVE THOSE SUPER COOL CONCERT TEE SHIRTS.
Yes, I have seen Taylor Swift 3 times, yes I have seen One Direction and Katy and Kelly, yes I have tee shirts repping all of them. Please senior me, for sophomore me, still have those because they were worth it! Those hold memories of me crying when Taylor sang All Too Well and loosing my voice from screaming at Harry Styles. They have a ton of love in them from sophomore me and that should mean enough to you, senior year.
How: If you don’t wear them, pack them up, put them in a box, and store it at your parents house, grandparents house, or bury them in the backyard. Just don’t get rid of them, because one day, mark my words, you will want to throw on that Katy Perry shirt and sing Dark Horse like you own the entire world.
10. Be homies with your mom and dad.
I know as a sophomore—because I am a sophomore—that spending time with them over going to a frat party isn’t really that great of a day. But I also know that they like it and in the end, I love it too. So senior me, please be tight with them. Tell them all of the dumb stuff sophomore me did because, hey, they wont punish you!
How: Parents love you. They are your biggest fan. Stay in touch and don’t let more then a few days go by without at least a text checking in and telling them you love them! Remember, they might seem old now, but you’re old too.
Please senior self, dont let me down.
Love,
Sophomore Self