Letter to My Senior-Year Self — Rachel Bell

To my senior year self,

I have so many aspirations for you — some of which I have no doubt you’ll accomplish, some of which I have more doubts than I’d like to admit. As you try to move through your college experience, I want to remind you how happy you are to be here. How sometimes dreams do come true; I want to remind you to keep dreaming. I have not a doubt in my mind that you will have fallen in love many times, perhaps you have someone to share the best and worst moments with, perhaps you haven’t, perhaps you had it and lost it, in any case — keep loving. I hope you don’t give up on writing, remind yourself how much peace it has brought you in the past, how your words have propelled you, kept you going, please don’t give that up. I know you’re busy, you always are, I’m sure things haven’t slowed down but that’s okay, as long as you’re taking time for yourself. Don’t forget that you live in New York City, don’t forget about the culture that surrounds you, don’t forget about the art and the music and the food. Don’t forget to take it all in.

Right now, as a first-year newbie, you are scared (that might never go away), but you are so, so grateful. You are building a community for yourself, you are finding your place. You have found a home in the Bronfman Center — I know, you’re probably still surprised by this. I hope you still find yourself spending Friday nights surrounded by love and warmth and music, whatever that means to you.

I hope you’re out there kicking-ass and being your unapologetic self. Remember that your survival is a win. That if you don’t get the jobs you were looking for, or you don’t stay in touch with the people from home as much as you’d like to, or you get that C that you’ve been dreading on your transcripts, that you are still winning — that you are still surviving.

So much love for you,

first-year Rachel