Day Nineteen: A picture and a letter



Dear First-Year college student,

       There you are sitting in your dorm room during your very first week of college classes.  Freeze.  Take a long, deep breath--take it all in.  You are about to embark on the wildest and most wonderful, life-shaping, four years of your entire life!  You don't know it yet, but that girl you're hugging in this photograph (the one you just met a few days ago) will still be a major part of your life when you're 25.  She and her husband (whom she hasn't met yet) will get you through one of most difficult years of your adult life.  Hang on tight to her--she's a great friend.
       Be nice to your roommate, Hayley.  You're going to find that she's right about your boyfriend.  Save yourself the drama--break up with him now--and develop a better relationship with the girls in your dorm!  He's not going to be around much longer anyways.
      Go out to a frat party tonight!  I know you never went to parties in high school . . . and you've never really drank much. . . but please don't miss out on the college experience.  When you're a 3rd year, you're going to live with the most incredible young women--and you're going to look back on your 1st year and ask yourself "what was I thinking?!?  this is awesome!"  Don't worry--you had awesome parents--you'll play hard, but you'll work hard too.  Things won't get out-of-hand, trust me.
      Sign up for that "History of The Circus" class you're really interested in taking.  You're going to end up waiting too long . . . and then it's not going to fit into your nursing schedule. 
      Oh yeah, and during your 2nd year you're going to meet a really short guy at a party.  Please don't lead him on.  Be honest with yourself: you're not interested.  If you don't, you're going to end up going on a week-long trip to NYC with him to "meet his parents" and you're going to be absolutely miserable!  Haha...or your could do it anyways...because it makes a awesome story later on!
      Call your mom more often--after college, you'll call her everyday--and you'll wonder why you didn't back then.  Tell your friend, Serena, that you love her everyday.  She will be your confidant for the rest of your life.  You will go through all of life's changes and challenges right beside her--like you're living in a parallel universe.  Really treasure these years when she's available for dinner dates and errand runs.  You'll long to have her close by in years to come.
      Most of all--enjoy yourself.  These really are "the best years of your life."  Sure, the work load is intense (you will have much less stress when you're actually practicing nursing in the real world).  However, make time for friends and adventure--you can't get them back!  Sing it loud and proud--"That Good Ole' Song of Wahoowa, we'll sing it o'er and o'er, it cheers our hears and warms our blood to hear them shout and roar, we come from old Vir-gin-i-a where all is bright and gay, let's all join hands and give a yell, for dear ole' UVA!"

Love,
UVA Alumnus, yourself