Letter to Me

November 2, 2012

Dear Sixteen Year Old Amanda,

            You love being challenged and learning new things. Take on your junior and senior year in a way that will make you proud of yourself because you only get one chance to do it right. Start with a better attitude, do not make excuses and realize your actions have consequences. Follow the steps below and when you look back you will be free of any kind of regret.

            First of all, it is important that you get yourself into the right frame of mind in order to be successful and happy during your last two years of high school. Improve your outlook on things and be less pessimistic and you will automatically produce better outcomes for yourself. Having a bad attitude and being negative about situations you encounter will only stunt your success. Similarly, listen to your mom’s advice and do not take her words for criticism; she knows what she is talking about. This is the time to realize your actions have consequences and some of the decisions you make today will have lasting effects. Stop making excuses and being lazy, and always remember that anything worth having is worth working for. Think of a goal and work towards it with everything you have. Most of all, enjoy your senior year. Try complaining less and appreciating what you have and all of the people around you more. Take advantage of the time you have right now so you do not have regrets about time that you wasted later on.

            By the same token, your study habits are something that needs your attention. The most important thing you can do as you begin your junior year is to study for the ACT. Your scores need to reflect what you know so that you can go into the correct classes during your freshman year of college. In March, when you take your ACT, do not forget your calculator at home. The test is timed and it is the best tool you can have there with you. When you get your first ACT scores back, work to improve them. Find time in your busy schedule and take an ACT preparatory course. Re-take the test when you are ready. A close second in importance to the ACT’s are your online classes. Take those classes even more seriously than your regular classes. Do not rush through the assignments you are given just to finish the class. Read everything you are assigned and complete your work for understanding. Now is the best time to realize that an A in the class does not mean anything, unless you have learned something. The grades you receive will come and go but what you take away from the class is valuable and will stay with you through the years. Flashcards will be the best study tool for you to utilize. Writing things down and repeating them helps you to understand concepts and memorize facts that will come in handy on your final exams.

            Above all, follow my advice regarding your senior year. Whatever you do, avoid coming down with senioritis. Build up your immune system with motivation, goals and hard-work. Do not wait until the end of the school year to start thinking about how you are going to pay for college. Apply early, complete your FAFSA on January 1^st and submit an application for every scholarship you can find. Get in the habit of planning ahead now so that your freshman year of college is not a shock. As a side note, you do not have to be a people-pleaser. Do not be afraid to tell people you are too busy to do things because you have to study. Make time for yourself and do not feel guilty about it. Avoid stress and drama whenever you can. As a rule, focus on your future.

            In the long run, hard work always pays off. When you start your freshman year of college you will be well-prepared for the task ahead of you. The academic accomplishments you make can never be taken away from you. 

Sincerely,

Your Older Self