This September will be 10 years since I left for University. 10 years! That’s scary. I know they say time flies but seriously, I have no idea where the last 10 years have gone. I spent four years at Uni and the past six trying to figure out adult life. And it’s tough. But I wanted to put together this post as a sort of open letter of things I’d tell my younger self and hopefully share some wisdom with you all.
Hard work pays off
Whether it’s working hard at work and receiving a promotion, or saving up for a holiday, new car or house deposit. All of these things come from working hard. And you should never underestimate the importance of hard work. You found school pretty easy and sailed through GCSEs and A Levels without needing to work too hard. It was similar at University. But it’s different in the workplace. You’re not relying on someone to tell you what to do, what books to read, what assignment to do. You’re largely responsible for generating your own workload and taking the initiative, so work hard!
Be nice
Not that you’re not a nice person. You are nice, in fact too nice at times. But just remember that you don’t have to step on or over people to reach the top. Just being friendly, nice and enthusiastic will pay dividends in the long run. You’ll end up working for a few women who are far from nice. Learn from that though and it’ll set you in good steed for future job opportunities and friendships.
Put yourself first and do what makes YOU happy
As mentioned you’re too nice for your own good sometimes. You tend to put other people’s needs and feelings ahead of your own, especially in relationships. But you’re going to learn the hard way that if you don’t look after number one, no one else will. It’s OK to be selfish and put yourself first sometimes by doing what you want to do and what makes you happy sometimes. Relationships are all about compromise. While we’re talking about relationships….
Boys will break your heart
You will go through some really rubbish relationships. But remember, everyone comes into your life for a reason. And you may not want to learn from them, but you should. Some will teach you things about yourself, some will be expensive mistakes and others will make you wonder what you ever saw in them. But the important thing is to learn something from each one and not to make the same mistake twice.
Stop worrying and be happy
You’ll spend far too much time comparing yourself and your achievements to others. You need to remember that you’re only in competition with yourself and that everyone is on their own path. Just because you don’t own your own home, or haven’t settled down yet doesn’t mean you’re falling behind your friends. You’re just hitting different milestones at different times. So stop worrying and start having fun. After all you have great friends who will be in your life for ever and some amazing memories with them all.
You can’t plan for the future
I feel like this is the most important thing I would tell my younger self. As much as people love to plan their lives and set life goals, you can’t plan for the future. You have to take each day as it comes and embrace life’s ups and downs and twists and turns. Don’t put pressure on yourself if your plan doesn’t happen. One of the best things about life is that it’s unpredictable. You could lose everything you have tomorrow or you could suddenly gain all you’ve ever wanted and more. Don’t plan your life too much and just enjoy the ride.
What things would you tell your younger self?