What I wish I’d known four years ago

As is tradition, this fall I opened my Letter-to-Self that I wrote my freshman year. While interesting and slightly humiliating, the letter left me longing to do the impossible and tell my former self what I wish I had known as I began my high school career. So, as my last perspective that I write for The Fourcast, here’s what I wish I’d known four years ago.

1.   Do not think that you can take a year off. For some reason, I had it in my mind that freshman and sophomore years were less valued when it comes to the college application process. Not so. On this point, early schools don’t even see your senior year grades, for some reason this dawned on me too late in the game. You have three years to prove yourself—make the most of them.

2.  Try your hardest not to become insecure. The truth is that no one cares about what you’re doing as much as you think they do. For the most part, they’re worried about themselves too much to do so.

3.   Continuing off of my last point, no one has ever looked stupid doing something as long as they were having fun.

4.  It’s easy to get caught up in the small stuff, but don’t. People are drawn to positivity, and there’s nothing more refreshing than someone who acts like it’s a privilege to be here everyday, even when it might not feel that way.

5. Talk to your teachers if you’re concerned about your grade. I’m not the first to tell you this, and I certainly won’t be the last, but someone helped me realize this when they said, how will they know you’re concerned if you don’t tell them?

6.  Find an activity that is special for just you and another member of your family. It’s easiest to bond over a shared interest, and whether it’s looking at open houses or binge watching House of Cards, it’ll be a concrete experience that you can take with you for the rest of your life.

7.  No one will notice if you don’t wear a bra as long as you’re wearing a polo and a sweatshirt.

8.  If there was one takeaway from the senior bonfire, it was that the littlest gestures are sometimes what mean the most to people. Say hi to people in the hallways; it’s more significant than you might think.

9.  Don’t reply “maybe” to a Facebook event, just don’t do it. Why are you even replying maybe? Don’t be that person, just say yes regardless.

10.  Lastly, I’ve heard a lot of quotes about how to live your life in a positive way, but this is the one that has stuck with me the most: People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. Work hard, try your best to get the most of this experience, but remember to be the person who will bring a smile to someone’s face when they remember you 30 years from now.

Love,

Future Molly

– Molly Montgomery