If you’ve ever wished you could go back and see what you were like at some point in time, writing letters is a great way to do it. My favorite type of letter to write is one that I know I’ll read at a specific time. Every year I write one to myself on my birthday, and I get to reread all the ones I’ve written before. It’s a wonderful way to reflect on where I was every year past and think about all the things that have changed. In high school, I also started writing them for milestones. I wrote one to be opened on my last day, one for graduation, and one for the night before I moved into college. It’s almost like getting advice from yourself, at a time when you’re likely feeling emotional or stressed.
I love to write mine physically, so I can preserve that moment of life forever, including the paper I wrote on, the color of the pen, and my handwriting. If you want to get creative, you can tuck it in an envelope and throw in a few memories, like Polaroids or tickets—even a to-do list or a playlist of all your current favorite songs to remind yourself of what your days looked like when you wrote it. It may seem silly in the moment, but I imagine opening a letter you wrote in your college days ten years down the line would be pretty special.
If you’re forgetful, there are also websites where you can write yourself a letter that will then be emailed to you on a specific date (or a random one!). This is a fun way to do it because, without a physical reminder, you’re more likely to forget that you ever wrote it, and it’ll be even more exciting when you receive it. I haven’t tried this method yet, but I love the idea that the letter would pop up exactly when you need it the most.
In general, I like to write about how my life is going: friends, school, or favorite things at the moment. If I have a date in mind for when I’ll open it, I like to make predictions about what my life will be like then and ask questions to my future self. You can really talk about anything you want! I tend to start with my current worries with the hope that when I read them over, I’ll realize they were inconsequential in the grand scheme of things, and I wrap the letters up with all of the things I’m excited about so I have the chance to reflect on how much I’ve been able to experience. The best part is that there’s no right way of writing a letter to yourself since you’re the only one who will read it! Just take a little time to capture your life at this moment, and save it for your future self to cherish.