Dear Senior self,

Congrats on getting to senior year and welcome to your first year at UVA! Hopefully you are there anyway.

I know it may seem like starting over because you’ve got 3 years to go, but you need to keep pushing yourself. Also savor the time you still have in college. As of right now, it is probably the best place to be.

I hope you have come far enough to feel accomplished. I know you worked really hard because freshman year was a good start. I know the four-year plan probably didn’t stick, but that’s fine. You probably finished well. I hope UVA is treating you good. Not only that but I hope you’re not missing Longwood too much; who am I kidding though, of course you are! Longwood is amazing!

I know that engineering is tough, especially the classes from high school, so I want to make sure to remind you not to slack off and to not give up. Your grades are important to you no matter how much you say they are not. If you give up that would upset dad and I. The whole timeline would be messed up and you know that; although, if something drastic has changed then I’m sure you’re handling it well. I am proud of how far you have come.

I know some days are tough and it is obviously ok to take time to yourself, but don’t forget to be social. That’s one thing I also want to say because I wasn’t as social as I had wanted to be.

Make sure to keep your living space clean so that your mind can be clean. Most importantly, you are you so don’t let others control you. Live and work towards that future that YOU want. Not one that someone puts in front of you. As life has gone so far, most things have been put together for you and now it’s time to work for yourself.

As I am writing this at 9 PM on a Thursday night in Upchurch at Longwood University, I just wanted to remind you that college is great only if you make it great.

Love, your freshman self