Friday, September 26, 2008

Letter to Younger Self

My Dearest Friend,

Well done! You have arrived safely at the destination that took so much work, plotting and planning to reach. You have worked so very hard to get where you are now and you seem to be settling in, even if it is a little awkwardly. Do not worry about the loneliness and if you miss home, that is very natural and in a month, the place will feel like your real home.
I am also glad to hear that you have made a few new friends. They may come across as an odd bunch at first but I promise that the moment you scratch the thin surface, they are nothing but a goldmine of laughter and support. They will become your world and allow you to do something that no one else has ever allowed you to do, delve into the depths of your imagination an share it because they do the same on at least a weekly basis. You will have spectacular times filled with laughter and fun and not a little camaraderie so do not worry, the moment you find these friends you will not go back and you may even find yourself wanting to stay instead of returning home.
The only advice I can truly give you is not to forget the friends of old that came with you. You may find yourself drifting apart and finding new interests and friends but do not lose a friendship because of that. Those friends were the ones there from the start so keep them dear and keep them close. If what I want to tell you can be summed up in one sentence, it would be embrace the new while keeping firm contact with the old.

Other than then, enjoy yourself and work as hard as you can. It is not as easy as it seems.

I hope I shall see you in the future,

Your friend,
Me.

4 comments:

Steph said...

This blog entry is resonant with my blogpost where I write to my younger self about friendships at University. The entry addresses the loneliness which I think most new students feel upon arriving at University for the first time. Knowing no one, everything new and unfamiliar, can be very depressing.

Both blog entries agree that the friends you make at University will not only last but will provide you with a source of support, laughter, fun and amazing memories. They will hopefully be there for you through thick and thin and will become your world. These friendships are friendships that will last and will remain with you throughout your life.

Both blogposts also refer to old friends. The blog post maintains that while saying goodbye to old friends is a part of the next phase of your life, one must never forget old friendships. These friendships have helped shape who you are today and have allowed you to open yourself up to new friendships.

bubbly "B" said...

i here you man
as much as it is very exciting to meet new interesting and sometimes crazy people, it is important to know where you come from. it is very easy to get los in the excitement and forget all about your 'old' life, but you are where you are and who you are because of it. your old friend have obviously known you for longer, and you can trust them, who is to say your new friends won't decide that they do no like and ditch you. wha will you do the??? do not turn your back on things you are certain about.

Mr X said...

One of the things I like about your blog is the name of it. It really locked me up to your blog. I found my self reading your blog over and over again. What kept into it is intimate relationship you had with your younger self. It seems like you are really in touch with your inner self which something that is lacking to most young people.

When we are about to go to a place we have never been, we become curious and when we arrive there we become self conscious, this can block us from making friends because we fear that others might judge us. One thing that helped me to settle down and make friends was the society I joined, that is where most of my friends are, they are that”goldmine of laughter and support”. I think that is the commonality in our blogs, the importance of friends old and new. In my blog I mention one friend I had when I was younger and the friend I made on our way to the conference.

LF said...

i agree with yor letter, that coming to varsity is embracing the new, whilst remebering the old as well. sometimes it is better to break free from the old though, as the person you were in school becomes detached in comparison to the person you are to become. sometimes you need to re-evaluate who you are based on what you have done. so overall, leaving the past in the past isn't a good plan. and embracing the new is the best way forward.