Letter to my 20 Year Old Self

Happy hump day! I got the idea for this post from some of my favorite bloggers. They did letters to their old selves a few weeks ago and I thought it'd be fun to do the same thing...

Dear 20 Year Old Self, 

Greetings from the world of the older, wiser variety of you.

Right now you’re probably sitting in your on-campus apartment rocking out to MGMT with a bandanna tied around your head Ninja style. You really are that awesome. And even though things will change in the next few years and you’ll grow up in a lot of ways, you’ll still keep that free spirited insanity. And that’s cool.

There are a lot of people in your life now. And in five years, you won’t know most of them.

Carrie is your best friend. But she’ll meet and fall in love with an asshole guy this summer who takes steroids. It will create a whole mess of issues for her and your friendship. Honestly, go ahead and try to help her but it won’t work – she’ll ditch you instead of him. You’ll come home from Christmas break to an empty apartment and no roommate. But don’t worry, you’ll get a new roommate in a few months and some girl across the hall will move out and give you her furniture. You’ll try to make amends with Carrie a few months later and it will kind of work, but she’ll move to Florida and get pregnant with the asshole and you’ll send her a nasty e-mail telling her not to contact you again. Maybe don’t send that e-mail? I mean she does deserve the middle finger, but you’ll later regret burning that bridge when she’s cleaned up life and is back to the Carrie you always loved and you feel weird contacting her.

Stephanie and Mo will fall by the wayside on their own. Honestly, you’re better than them anyways. And you’ll see that your life and the decisions you make really clean up once they’re gone.

There are some people that you know right now that will stick around.

E will continue to be your tried and true. You guys will back out of the party scene and start doing old lady things together like sharing gardening tips and discussing politics (seriously, she’ll buy you a pair of gardening gloves in a few years for your birthday and you will LOVE them).

Jeph will move away a few times. He’ll end up in New York as a dog walker. And even though you don’t see him often, you guys will always be able to pick up right where you left off. And... don't freak out, okay? He'll go back to spelling his name Jeff eventually, too.

And Robby will always be, well, Robby. And he’ll kind of grow up, too. And it will be super weird because Robby isn't very, well, grown up.

That mean old professor you hate right now? Yeah, he’ll end up being your mentor. And believe it or not, you WILL get an A in his class.. and it will be the biggest kick in the ass you've ever received but the sweetest victory you've ever tasted.

Speaking of school, go ahead and opt for the Bachelors of Science instead of the Bachelors of Arts. You’re going to anyway, doing it now will help you graduate faster. And don’t freak about calculus… you’ll make that class your bitch once you've taken algebra but not until.

You’ll go party-hopping with Robby and his friends this fall. And you’ll have to pee while you’re drunk and walking through a neighborhood. Hold it! Whatever you do, don’t pee in those bushes.

You’ll adopt a cat Phoebe soon. You’ll find her on Craigslist and go against your mother’s advice to take her in. It’s a great idea – do it. And yes, she’ll hide under the bed for a few months but she’ll warm up to you, I promise.

When Will and Courtney come over to your apartment one night in February, let them in. And when they peer pressure you into going to a dance club and drinking red wine from a flask – do it. And yes, that dragon shirt from Indonesia will look perfect with the hipster crowd. And when a blonde guy across the bar makes the fish hook gesture, HOP ON! You won’t regret it. That guy is your guy. And he won’t know it that night either. But he will be your best friend and lover for years to come. And he has an ADORABLE dog.

Those floral wedges from Charlotte Russe? Say no. You’ll wear them to a club in Myrtle Beach and probably break your big toe, although I can’t say that for sure.

Next year, you and E will sign up to run a 5k. And you’ll do it. And it will make you feel super nervous and silly and out of place. And you don’t be able to run the whole thing. But you’ll be a runner in a few years and thank yourself for taking that step out of your comfort zone.

Speaking of E, next summer you two will ride bikes through downtown for 2 hours and then you’ll realize that you can’t find your ID and panic. It’s in your bra! Look there first. You’ll be really mad at yourself 4-hours-worth-of-searching later if you don’t.

A new girl will move into the apartment beside you. Don’t hang out with her. She’s super weird and dramatic and does a lot of drugs and has an overbearing mother. No, just no.

You are going to quit smoking cigarettes and drinking soda. Boring, I know.

You’re going to start eating pork again. But you’ll never like ham.

You won’t get that giant peace sign tattoo that you’ve always wanted. And the 25 year old you will thank you for it. Seriously, that’s kind of a cliché tattoo.

You’ll take that belly button ring out eventually because you feel silly having it. Your nose ring will fall out and you’ll be too busy to get it re-pierced. Both will leave scars but whatever.

Honestly, keep on keeping on. You have a big heart and good intentions. And all of the dumb decisions you’re making right now? Yeah, character building.

Love always,

The older, more boring responsible version of yourself