A Letter

Dear May 2012 Hannah,

I sit here writing on this rainy, August night with the excitement of both tomorrow and this impending year causing the butterflies to flit around in my stomach.

I can’t believe it’s finally here—sophomore year move-in eve. In some ways this summer feels like it has gone by as quickly as the bat of an eyelash and yet as slow as a turtle’s motions on a hot July day. I’ve truly loved being home and I’ve had some grand adventures in my hometown, but a part of me has consistently longed to be back at BC. Back in my place.

And so I thought I would write this little letter to my May 2012 self, from my August 2011 self—a few must-do’s and some words of encouragement.

Freshman year was one of curiosity and wonderment. I found my place on campus: my niche, my people, my groove. I learned how to live with another person, how to juggle a social life and an academic life and so, so much more. It was also a year of ups and downs. Of coming to understand others and even more, coming to better understand myself. But all-in-all, it was an enchanting, wouldn’t-trade-it-for-the-world, months long adventure.

So now taking the knowledge I gained from freshman year and looking onward to this next exciting leg of my journey, I do so with excitement and nervousness.

There’s the typical apprehension of a new school year; who will be in my classes?, where will I sit?, will the teacher like me?, etc. And yet I am, at the very same time, beyond excited to see all of my friends, acquaintances and all the other faces I’d grown so accustomed to seeing every day while at school.

I’m excited for the random adventures at all hours of the day that college brings. For the late, late night conversations that only T and I can have; the ones that range from serious to silly. I’m excited to have homework again. That first paper, yep—it has my name and an A alllllllll over it!

And there’s a sophomore year must-do list that I’m dying to get started on!

:: Wednesday night IHOP runs.

:: Continue my no soda pact.

:: Take a nightly walk on the river.

:: Try the You are Beautiful experiment.

:: Do something big, spontaneously.

:: Go to Greece and Italy with the bestie.

:: Miss my family and my cats.

:: Take a drive to Moscow.

:: Turn my back on drama.

:: Be too loud.

:: Be a friend.

:: Speak kindly and smile.

:: Always love.

:: Enjoy every singly minute of being a poorer-than-poor, college student.

At this moment, that’s all I can think of, though I am sure there are a lot of things that I could/should be adding to this list.

I want May 2012 Hannah to read this and smile, mentally checking off each of the must-do’s and adding all the other great memories that were made over the course of this next year.

I want May 2012 Hannah to be happy, and healthy and confident. I want her to be…wonderful.

So to May 2012  Hannah, I hope it has been one heck of year.  That you’ve done all these things and more. That you stayed true to yourself, hold some great friendships near to your heart, and found out even more about yourself.

I hope that when there were the bad days you remembered that these were still the best days of your life; that you were blessed and loved and could do anything your heart and mind desired to do.

Here’s to the next leg of our journey.

With love,

August 2011 Hannah

(What do you desire for this next school year??? Share with me in the comments!)