Send a Letter Back in Time...

Tonight, I was on the hunt for some journal topics to use with my students next week and came across a really interesting one:

"If you could send a letter back in time, what would you tell your teenage self?"

What a fun writing assignment. I (obviously) cannot use this prompt with my students as they are teenagers, but I thought I could answer it myself. Here's my letter:

To My Younger Self,

A few words of wisdom for you to consider over the next 30 years. Do not drop out of college early. You will beat yourself up over that for many, many years. Before moving to NYC, be sure you have saved money ... a lot of money ... and have cleared your debt because it's really, really, really expensive to live there and you will be unbelievably poor for many, many years. That job you are offered February 2008, do NOT take it. It will be ruinous of you. Eat healthier, exercise more, and laugh at the foolish. Oh, and that haircut that you are considering when you are 32 will be an unmitigated disaster! Don't do it - otherwise there will be several ridiculous photos of you hanging around!

From the older and wiser you

I thought it would be difficult to compose a brief letter that encompasses 30 years of advice I'd have to give myself, but it turns out it was fairly easy. I discovered that I don't have many regrets about the past 30 years. I suppose that's a good thing.  Living with regrets is an awful way to spend your life! What advice would you give your teenage self?

Yup!