A Letter to My Future Self

In 2020, I found a letter written to my future self from my junior year of high school.

I had forgotten I ever wrote it and only discovered it after coming across an old flash drive.

The letter was filled with little gems of advice, “Sutton-isms” and my hopes for the future.

Why not write another one — in this extremely transitional period of my life. Right now, anything could happen and I could seriously go anywhere. I’d like to maybe make some guesses.

And just like the first one, who knows when this letter will find its way back to me.

Dear Future Sutton,

I’m writing this letter to you with just less than a month until you graduate from THE University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

I don’t know when you’re meant to read this letter again, but I hope you have enough patience to wait at least a year. Note to self: work on your patience, we need more of that.

The biggest thing on my mind right now as an almost-college graduate is finding a job. Did you find a job? If it has really already been a year from now, you better have… There are bills to pay, girl.

Did you go the agency route or in-house? I’m gonna guess in-house. Was I right? Are you doing digital marketing? Social media? Content writing? Market research? Pubic relations?

Wow. You really did learn a lot in school. You could have ended up anywhere. I just hope that you’re enjoying what you’re doing and gaining relevant experience you need to go wherever your new goals take you.

Where are you living these days? Right now, your top three choices are Raleigh, Durham or Washington, D.C.. Whether you made it out of state or not, try to have some adventures. I know it’s tempting, but don’t get too comfortable. Push yourself. Try new things. Meet new people. Hell, try new things with new people. Jump out of a plane or something with a stranger, I don’t know.

There’s a lot out there, but keep your friends close. I think you found some good ones. Isn’t it amazing that the friends you made in elementary school and middle school — the one’s you wrote about needing to keep close in your high school letter to your future self are STILL your best friends?

I know you’re worried about all of us going different directions and that maybe you’ll grow apart. But different locations just means you need to put in some more effort. If you’re reading this and haven’t talked to them in awhile — CALL them!

On another note, please tell me the pandemic is “over-over.” Although I don’t think things will ever be the same. What pandemic occurrences have become the new normal? Are masks still required in public establishments? I hope not, those braces were expensive — people should be able to see those beautiful chompers.

To end this letter, I’ll leave you with these pieces of advice. Invest in yourself. If you’re going to be confident in anyone, be confident in yourself. Know your values. Live by them. Measure your success by your own definition, not that of others. Look forward. Never look back, unless of course you’re reminiscing on times like these.

Until next time,

Sutton

Want to also try writing a letter to your future self? Here are some tips I used.