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A Letter To My Past Self

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The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Cal Lutheran chapter.

Introduction

Not too long ago, I was thinking to myself and reflecting on when I was a high school student and now I’m a 2nd-year college student. To be honest, it’s crazy to think that I have changed so much since high school because back then I used to be naive and had hopes for the future, but after so many struggles and accomplishments I could say I’m different now. If I were to send a letter to my past self, I think I would be shocked and proud of what will be coming my way.

Dear Past self,

I hope life is treating you well (even though I know what happens). I just want to let you know that whatever stage you are in life, please try to stay positive. I know it’s hard when something goes wrong with our relationships, academics, and family, but guess what, everything works out! Yes, our parents might be overprotective but they are looking out for your best interest. It might be annoying but just spend time with them whenever you can because once you’re in college, you’re not going to see them every day, so take advantage of it. Also for academics, don’t stress too much, you’ll have a great GPA and get into many colleges. I know you pressured yourself to succeed and when you got a bad grade, you tended to be negative. However, you should always remember that it’s only a bad grade on an exam/assignment, you’ll do better next time. Trust me, you have nothing to worry about, just keep doing your best and put yourself out there! Lastly, and this is important, relationships don’t last, especially with friendships and romance. Just to give you a heads up, the best friend you have now will eventually be no one to you. I mean it was tough, but you will eventually have new friends who will support you, and once you go to college, it is a different world. And then for the romance department, if you’re single, be patient, there will most likely be someone around the corner so don’t rush. If you’re in a relationship, I’m happy for you and make the most of it because you don’t know if this is the one for you so enjoy and spend time with them. However, if you’re heartbroken over someone, it’s okay to let all those emotions out, and eventually, you’ll find someone better, so don’t be looking for someone new, take time to heal for yourself and focus on your priorities. I wish you the best and trust me, you are going to accomplish a lot!

Conclusion

I’m proud to be where I am at right now. It’s funny to look back and realize all the negative thoughts were all just in my head. If I were to advise what I have been through it would be not to be afraid to get out of your comfort zone and take it one step at a time!

Jacquelyn Cambaliza

Cal Lutheran '26

Hi, my name is JJ! I go to Cal Lutheran and I'm double majoring in Marketing Communications and English along with being in the University's honors program. My interests are reading, creative writing, music, and food. One fun fact about me is that I love re-watching One Tree Hill and Gilmore Girls.