Notes to My Sixteen-Year-Old Self

I know some people who have written letters for themselves to open at a later date – such as a letter to open when they turn 18, or 25, or even 60. (Maybe.) I’ve never written a letter for myself to open in future. It never crossed my mind.

What I do remember is a time when I was eleven years old (in 2001), and as a class assignment, we had to write a personal diary entry from the year 2015, and include what life would be like and where we would be. I don’t have the diary entry anymore, but my memory serves me well, and I remember writing that I was engaged to be married. I also wrote that I was studying – what I was studying, I don’t recall, but something tells me that at that point in time I wanted to be a psychologist or a psychiatrist.

Times have changed of course, and I’m far from there. Back then, I wasn’t so “into” websites, but hey, little did I know it would become a big hobby of mine.

I like thinking about the future, but I don’t really want to write a letter for the future. I wish I could tell my younger self the littlest of things. This post was inspired by a trending topic on Twitter; #tweetyour16yearoldself. I don’t regret many things from my past. I did have a dark past, but I would not want to change things drastically.

I would have told myself to get over my ex-boyfriend. It took me over a year to get over him. I don’t know why I clung to him when he embarrassed and hurt me. I shouldn’t have kept hanging on. It was the first time I’d been dumped. I don’t think many people like remembering the first time they were dumped. Obviously, it hurt, and I was so delusional that I thought I could get him back. I wish I could have told myself to be as strong as I am now and just let freaking go. It was like pulling an endless rope, the rope forming a large pile at my feet the more I pulled.

I would have told myself, “Keep dancing”. I shouldn’t have quit. I should have kept going. I should have lived my passion for dance then, as much as I do now. I shouldn’t have given ballet a break at all. I know I’ve come far now but I feel like I would have had a little more passion.

I wish I’d been more keen with music. Instead of playing the piano – I should have picked up the saxophone when my teacher suggested it. I wish I could have told myself to get my drumsticks and use them, because now I can’t really play drums as well as I could have if I’d been more adventurous at school. I should have looked at my dad’s records earlier, and stopped judging metal music before I even listened to it. (Yes, I did it… and I fucking love metal music now.)

I’m really glad where I am in university. I know that maybe I should have put a little more effort into my schoolwork – maybe I’d be studying fashion design instead? Maybe I would have done so much better and my parents would be even prouder of me.

I should definitely have been nicer to my parents. I don’t show them that I love them. I am so close to them, and I know them so well, but I wish I could have prevented the family drama. If I had tried, I wouldn’t have bothered my parents so much. I should have been more helpful, more grateful, more thankful.

But every time I think about what I could tell myself and even the little things I could change, I remember that I’m happy with how life is now. Despite the stress, the problems I’ve gone through and the problems I am encountering now, I love where I am… and I can smile about it. In all honesty, I don’t want to change a thing.

Comments on this post

Umm I may have done such an assignment before, but I can’t really remember what I wrote back then. As you know, I don’t tend to think too much about the future haha. I’m planning on doing the “write to your future self” letters though. I already knew about them, but I decided to do it while watching HIMYM and reading an episode recap on Everwood.

As for what I would have told my 16 year old self.. that’s something I’ve been thinking about for the last few hours. The first thing I would have told to my 16 year old self would have been to ask that girl out, that there was nothing to lose. Maybe it wouldn’t have worked and laster, but maybe it might have. Another thing would have been to go to Youtube and listen to more music, find more bands, and to find a better job. McCafe just won’t do it. AND TO WRITE MORE!

I think about the future more than I ever did. The future used to scare me and I was afraid of growing up, but now I really am looking forward to it. I read on someone’s blog that she was going to write a letter to herself. When I was in high school my friends and I wanted to make a time capsule and put things in it, but we didn’t get the time. Now my memory box sort of serves as that. :)

I should have looked for a job earlier! And perhaps I would have encouraged myself to write more or to learn more about coding, earlier. 😏

I’ve never written a dairy of the future although I have thought about what life might be like in the future. It’s not something we can predict, that’s what’s so amazing about life.

Gosh, I have many things I wish I could tell my old self. I gave up on many things that I wish I didn’t. I also wish that I improved on certain things like exercise more then maybe I’ll be a bit taller than I am now.

Regardless, I’m super happy with my current life and I wouldn’t change a bit.

Oh forgot to reply to comment.

You are super lucky to have blemish free, redness free skin. How I wish I could have that.

Ebay is awesome! the key to not getting ripped off is to read the feedbacks people have put for the seller. If they have many negative feedback then make sure you stay away from them. But sometimes you will get ripped off, you just have to be careful.

I think its very easy to look back and see what you wish you could have done differently and wonder ‘what if’ but I’m glad you’re able to say you’re happy :)

I’ve had done that assignment before! I did one in 5th grade and I forgot when we were supposed to open that “time capsule.” I had forgotten what I’ve written to myself and what I’ve put in there. I would love to know now since you’ve got me curious about it.

I think it’s a good idea that you do that, write a letter to your future self. Sometimes we discover how we’ve changed for better or worst. Or we were like back then and what we wished to do. It’s fascinating and interesting…

I have never written. Lett to my self. I think I will though. I know a friend who does health letters and writes down her goals. I have yet to turn 16 so I can tell my 16 year old self anything. I can’t tell any age really. I think I might write one to my 7 year old self for fun, because I think that was the time that I made a few mistakes. But my teen years have had their share of mistakes.

Your are interesting. Especially the dance one. I quit dance last year, and it caused a huge fight with my mom. I feel that if I had not stopped then I would not have a passion. Then again I have not returned.

Oh I saw your tweet about the oprah show. I hope you get tickets. :)

We did a project like this back in 6th grade. We had to write to our Senior High School selves, and ask about where we are now, and what the future’s like. As well as tell a whimsical story of something that has happened in 6th grade so far that our older selves don’t remember. I think I wrote about me falling out of the swingset and everyone thinking I was dead. I remember getting up and having my uniform covered in sand and mud and crying because my hair, clothes and shoes had mud on them and were ruined. (I cared a lot about my appearance back then, I liked looking nice.)

But as far as the future goes, I don’t think I would’ve seen myself where I am now. In college and enjoying it. Engaged to be married, and just all around enjoying my life. My childhood…wasn’t the brightest. And I never saw a bright outcome. I know I did count on myself to have a better job and a car. At least I have a place of my own. Even though I share it with a roommate.

I love where I am too right now. *high-fives you* I just love positive people that can see through the grim and see the rainbow on the other side. 😝

I honestly wish I could leave. It’s just not that simple. I’m almost positive if I did try to leave, they’d come find me & life at home would be worse. But I suppose being eighteen now, there isn’t much they can do. I mean I’m doing fairly well in all of my classes, my grades were really good for the first quarter, so far in the second quarter (that started this week) they’re bad but there’s also no grades in. I seriously wanted to walk up to the Board of Ed at the begin of this year when I found out about the 70/30. I couldn’t believe it.

It’s amazing how much everything has changed, I was thinking about this the other day & how everything just seems so old but it was just a few years ago. I wish I did a lot of things differently, I question how things turned out the way they did, but then once I think about it, I’m almost some what happy with who I am & all the stuff I’ve been through made me this person. Love this post, made me open up my eyes to accept all the stupid things that go on in this crazy world.

I did an assignment something like this at one point. I cannot really remember it though. If I could tell my 16 year old self something it would be a lot of “Don’t stop doing___” and “Don’t give up doing____ just because of ___” I wish I had never stopped competing in equitation, or dancing ballet, or even stopping tennis.
I guess my big thing is I wish I had been a bit wiser. Even now, I am just fixing to turn 20, and 16 seems so long ago!

I’ve never actually done a letter to my future self, nor have I done a letter to myself in the past. I’ve seen a lot of other people do them and I think they’re really cool and a good way to reflect and maintain priorities. But I think the main reason I’ve never done one is I just don’t know what to say. But, reading your letter to your 16 year old self makes me want to do one too. Maybe sometime I’ll get around to it. ;P

WTF my comments keep posting on sites, before I click comment. This is weirddd.

I kind of wish I had written letters to myself. I did once, and it was supposed to be openened at the end of higschool. In it, I told myself to be over Brandon (my hohohooker) and such, but I never finished the letter and so when i found it, half finished a year later, I was in the stage where I had JUST secretly dated him, clearly not listening to myself at all, haha.I don’t really remember much else that was in the letter. I think years from now, there would be A LOT I’d want to say to myself now.

I do have to work for long shifts :( It sucks, but at least I get money. I wouldn’t mind long shifts if I just got one on saturday, and had sunday off but I get stuck working friday, saturday & sunday for 6-9 hour shifts. 38 hours is a lot to work, especially when i’m not even full time :/ I think full time is 44+ hours a week.

I looked for boots tonight, but failed. I need to go shopping once I pay back my mom for my camera, and get paid for all these hours I’m working.

You might have read a similar comment to this on other blogs already…

We all have regrets, and there’s nothing you can do about that. You don’t know what you’re going to regret later. And sometimes, it’s not clear whether you actually regret something or not. But think of it this way, if you were always nice to your parents then, you may not appreciate them and think that they’re that good to you now. In the end, there’s nothing we can do about the past except appreciate what it teaches us.

hi hun
im feeling much better thx took a week but ye.
thx for your comment on my character i still need to work hard to make it better :). you can do it any other software like photoshop, paintshop etc.

thx for the luck :) my parents never brought anything lol.

i use to keep a diary where i use to write everything down, recently i re read it and i laughed to see how childish i was back then when it came to boys i liked.

can i ask u a question?

I wish I had of done one of those. I know for a fact, I would not be in the same place I am in now when I wrote it … no way! it would have been nice though to see what I did write for the future. Maybe I’ll write one for when I turn 40? And then when I turn 40, write one for when I turn 50? And so on … Hmmm. /cool

Awww such a sweet post! I don’t know, I can’t actually write to my 16 year old self, since I am 16 LOL :P

XXASAB

Love this idea. I wrote a letter to myself via futureme.org a long time ago – it was very strange to read and realise how much I’ve changed! I think if I could write to my 16 year old self, I would tell her to not be so reserved and enjoy nights out with friends, parties etc. I would also tell her not to make so many decisions around the then boyfriend, and remind her that although this relationship seems good at the time, it won’t last – something I think even as a 16 year old I knew deep down!

I did two of those last year; one to open at the end of this one and one to open after I graduate high school ^^ It was fun. Sorta. Because I knew as I wrote it, my interests and stuff would change. If I can remember, I don’t think I wrote anything about schoolwork; I have this weird thing where I figure as long as I go with it and understand the material somewhat, I’ll be fine and float through school. Yes, that does actually work too 8D (Probably not for college, but let’s cross that river when we get there). I think I wrote about my mindset; I’m a very self-doubting person and have low-self esteem. I figured that if that ever changed I would want to remember exactly what I though so I would never go back to it. /oh

Hmm… well, when I look back at stupid mistakes, I repeatedly bash myself until it goes away. /pow If it doesn’t, I tell myself to make the best from the situation and deal with it, because there’s nothing that I can actually do – believe me, if I could change a lot of things I would. If I knew my two foster brothers would have left, I would have spent more time learning about them and bonding with them. I wouldn’t have quit Flute, even with my crappy keys that still don’t work, instead of giving up.

But I’ve grown up from those years, I’ve got a new mind and new things to consider when I make choices like that. Back then those choices were so simple and they seemed like the right thing to do. That’s what I tell myself whenever I regret something; at the time it may have been the right choice. When I think about it, I love the memories I have with my brothers and they were eight and ten; I was five. It wasn’t a time to consider stuff like they might leave. When I quit the Flute, I figured that I wasn’t putting enough effort into it (true) and that I didn’t think it was for me and my schedual (also true). Of course I regret it now; but at the time it made sense.

You’ve matured as well, Gerogie ♥ And you’ve made mistakes and yeah, you’ll keep making mistakes, but take the best from the situation, be thankful for that and move on.

This reply is quite late and I apologise! I still wanted to reply on this post even though I already updated my blog. :)

Once I wrote a secret on a piece of paper, and so did all my friends. We all decided to open it at the end of the year. Mine was a little embarrassing. We decided to read them out aloud. Though now, I actually can’t remember what I wrote. Haha. Perhaps it wasn’t really a secret anymore…

I try not to think about stupid mistakes… it usually makes me doubtful when I do. I just look at the present and have faith in myself. And I definitely think that a lot of the decisions I made in the past were good ones, at the time… but they turned out to be bad. But we never know.

:love:

Hiii!

I seem to be making a habit of commenting on your blog late at night, while utterly exhausted. I swear, I’ll stop when it’s break time!

Those kinds of projects! I’ve heard of them, but I’ve always been too scared to do one, because when I think back to when I was younger, I get so embarrassed because my way of thinking, and all the stuff I said was soo…embarrassing! 30 year old me will probably be very embarrassed and cringe at any letter 19 year old me writes. Things change *shrug*. Hahaha, it’s almost worth writing a letter to myself for the laughs XD.

Awwww! Eleven-year-old Georgie sounds very cute indeed. Haha, when I was 11 I think I was a total lost case D:. Oh wait, I still am. Georgie as a psychiatrist? Hmmm…I can sort of picture it :P.

That ex-boyfriend was…HMPH! Hahaha, I’m glad you got over him, but I think at least you learned from your experience. Everyone has ONE guy they just CAN’T get over. You made it eventually! *SO PROUD*. I probably wouldn’t have coped as well as you if I were in your position D:. And it’s not like you had much experience with being dumped. He was a jerk! RAWR!

Life is so full of “Should haves”, but I think it’s important to remember that there isn’t much point thinking off what should have been because you’ll spend your whole life in the past and miss out on all the present. Sure you should have done all those things, but hey, if you DID those things, I’m sure that there would have been other sacrifices elsewhere. You can’t help past decisions.

I feel like that sometimes too. I have so many things that I wish I HAD done, but didn’t, and I feel a little regret, but I’m like you. I’m pretty happy where I am now. I wouldn’t really change a thing.

Because it’d totally stuff up the whole progression of the universe or something anyways :P.

And also, you play the drums better than I ever could :P. Even if you don’t technically play them XD. ♥

Hi. I’m returning your comment at uni while I wait for James to make his way here… :P I’m going to write this in a huge rush, obviously. Haha.

I would be so embarrassed at what I write too! And I think I might be disappointed. What if I write a letter to myself in the future and say that I should have a PhD… and I don’t? I think I will definitely sound immature too. That is why I’d rather write to my younger self. It would be awkward writing to myself in the future. I wouldn’t know what to write.

Haha! I used to want to be a psychologist but that changed… and the UAI was so high. Let’s not go there. :P

Oh he was a jerk indeed! I did love him, but it was over and I should have accepted that and moved on. Especially at such a young age. I should have just told myself the cliched ‘there’s plenty of fish in the sea’. :P

I kept thinking that I regretted things from my past – but I don’t anymore. They brought me here today. :) ♥ Now now, let’s not get into crazy time travel or anything… XD

I had a dark past, too. But I’m thankful for all that I went through, and now I’m happy those things happened.

I didn’t write any letters to my future self. At times, I do wish that I had, but I’m someone who likes to not know what is to come. I’m full of bad luck, and I tend to jinx things. :(

That was the first and only camp I’ve ever been to, for a stay. It was amazing and really fun. They packed an entire week into merely a day, and that exhausted me, though. D:

It was hard; my arms hurt. It felt like I’d gotten a workout like when I was in dance. It was painful, though, and my arms and shoulders kept cramping.

I am not sure what I would tell my 16 year old self other than, ‘Don’t be dumb’. There is a website (http://www.futureme.org/) out there that lets you write a letter to yourself, which is pretty neat. I’ve done that before and had it sent a year later. I completely forgot about it when I got it and it was kinda depressing to read it.

But anyway, I wish I wouldn’t have quit dancing or music, either, but Oh well. Can’t dwell on the past, gotta live for the now. [=

Metal music ftw!

I posted a comment before? It was long, did it go through? Sorry if this is considered spam. /ehh

As my commenting guidelines state, all comments are held for moderation by me until they are approved.

Whoa @_@ My post poofed!

Your comment is still under moderation. It does not appear until it is approved and it should state this next to your comment.

My bad, Ha-ha-ha. Sorry for the waste of time.

I did! Haha, I really like my new camera.

I got my first wallet when I was around 10, and I just wanted to put a load of stuff in it. Haha, I used to put everything from sweet wrappers, to bits of paper! I just wanted it to be full. Now I don’t really use wallets, I prefer to just have whatever I need in my pocket; whether it be money or a card.

Yeah, maybe. I prefer replying to comments straight away, because I hate having a massive backlog of un-replied comments. It’s nice and easy replying to each comment one-by-one, haha.

Haha! :P I don’t really like getting short-and-snappy comments either, although I still reply to them. I have to admin, though, that I sometimes do write little short, annoying comments. And I have a tendency to just reply to the comment, and not actual comment on the blog (I definitely won’t be making that mistake this time), haha.

Aw, that really does suck! I’m sure it’ll fly by! Just think; they’ll be back soon. Then you can start having fun with them. Just focus on something else for a while.

Yeah, my Mum said that. I get what you mean – my Dad was half Chinese, so technically, I’m quarter Chinese, although you’d never be able to tell. What gives it away is my surname, which is Yue. I was born in England though, and I’ve never actually been to China. I really want to go someday, though, my Mum says that I’ve got loads of relatives over there!

You’re welcome. I’m sure they will! You gave me the inspiration to start writing reviews, and although I’ve only written two, I’d like to say they were at a somewhat similar standard to yours. I’m terrible at wording things though, so they probably sound as if a three-year-olds written them! Haha.

Oh, I can’t wait for all that responsibility! *End sarcasm*

I’ve never heard of them. I’ll listen to a few of his songs on iTunes now. Who nows – maybe I’ll be a massive fan in the near future. Shows seriously are so much better than just listening to them on iTunes, or watching them on YouTube. That atmosphere’s fantastic!

I did make that mistake, haha..

I’m definitely going to do that! I think I’ll open it when I’m a lot older, like eighty or something, that’d be so cool! I also want to take a tonne of pictures, so when I’m older, I can look back on all the good, and bad memories I may of had.

I did that a few days ago in class, except it was for the year 2020. I wrote that I’d be living happily in America (it’s always been a dream of mine to live there when I’m older), with a wife and kids, all happy in a nice, big, American home! Haha! :P

I’ve been on-and-off with web design for ages now! I started when I was 9 (I think.. Haha, it was around that age), and made these weird little Piczo sites that consisted of a home page, and.. Well, that was about it. I’d get bored, and make another. Haha!

I’ve only got 13 years of past, and honestly, not much has happened. Haha. There’s been a few ‘major’ events through the years, but nothing that I’ve done I regret now.

I’m always tempted to quit gymnastics, but whenever I mention it to my Mum, or my Sister, they say that I’ll regret it when I’m older. My Mum said that quitting piano when she was younger was a really bad decision. She regrets it a lot now!

I really want to start piano, I’m on the (never-ending) waiting list at my school. But seen as there’s about 989,905,354 people who go to my school, and around half of them want to have piano lessons, I’ll be around 92,000,000 when I get them.

I really need to start putting more effort into my school work. I’m worried that I’ll be put into bad sets (we have sets one to four in each different subject, one being the most intelligent, four being the least) for when I’m doing my GCSE’s, because people say if you’re in a low set, the teachers just let the class run wild.

That’s good that you’re happy. That you don’t want to change a thing. You’re obviously very good at making decisions. *EXTREME JEALOUSY* I suck at making decisions, haha!

Wow, that’s something that hasn’t crossed my mind either. It’s a weird concept, considering like you said we change so much over the years, especially during our transition from school to work/uni life. I was incredibly immature when I was still in high school and I’ve changed so much since then. But its good you don’t regret anything. I don’t think people should regret things, everything even mistakes make us who we are.

I was completely devastated when I broke up with my bf so I don’t blame you for taking so long to get over your ex, everyone heals differently.

Hey Georgina.

I’m back ;p How’ve you been! I hope things have been good with you. I know I haven’t been around in forever, but I’d like to get back into contact with you.

I thinking writing a letter to the past is kinda silly, though I kind of look at my site as a way to look into the past. I can go back and read through old posts and see what my life was like at that time. I have so many blog sites that I revisit from time to time, brings back so many memories.

I think writing to the future is a neat idea though. But I guess you’d probably forget about it by the time you wanted to check it. You’d randomly come across it a long time past when you wanted to check it.

16 was such a bad year for me =/ It’s funny how things turn out that way.

I’ve never actually written a letter to myself to open when I was older. But I have looked at past journal entries from when I was 16 through early 20’s. And all I did was roll my eyes cause the majority of it was either funny or just lame. XD But if I knew then what I know now, I probably would have told myself to stay in school and all that stuff…….

HRM I have to say that I wrote myself a letter to my 20 year old self & 18 year old self too..I think. I know exactly where it is, but I haven’t read it. You tend to forget a lot of the things you wrote down years ago, even if you don’t think so.

I kind of hope you find that diary entry just to see how much you wanted from your life at that age. :)

Life does change a bit, but it’s better to look forward to the future than to dwell on the past about things you should’ve done or could’ve done. At least you’re not regretting your past. I mean I get where you’re coming from (ex-boyfriends are a pain, we’ve all been there), but at least the past has made you grown up & realize your mistakes. But chin up, look forward, & change the things you wish you changed back then…because a year from now or even 5 years from now, you might be saying the same thing. Perhaps you should do everything you wish you did back then right now so that you’ll say, “I’m absolutely proud of my past & there’s nothing I wish I did differently. I don’t have any could’ve, would’ve, should’ve feelings. I’ve done everything I’ve ever wanted to do.” :) Easier said than done, of course.

Shoot for the stars! What will you pursue a career in now since psychiatry isn’t your ideal job anymore?

I never wrote a letter for myself as well. :|

I remember the first time I was dumped. Painful and embarrassing, true. I couldn’t stop crying for days and I wouldn’t leave the house as well.

I made a lot of mistakes in life. But I never regret any of them. because it is thanks to those mistakes that I am who I am now. It is because of those decisions that i can stand today. So just like you, I totally don’t want to change anything in my life as well. I am happy the way i am now. It is tough, true, but life is full of challenges and hardships that makes us stronger. And I have accepted that fact in my heart :)