Dear younger Dontae,
I hope this letter finds you well. I wanted to reach out because I know how crucial 7th grade can be, even though it might not seem so now. Looking back, I realize it was a pivotal year, and I wish I had understood its importance sooner. I remember how much fun you’re having right now, but trust me, as you move into 8th grade, the start of it may seem easy but towards the end, you will understand what I am talking about, and you’ll start seeing why I’m writing this. We ended up being number 8 in the top 10 of our class, deep down, I know we could have done better. Another thing I wanted to tell you is I learned to appreciate all of our teachers. They are the main reason for our success.
What was going on in 7th grade/How I felt: One thing I regret is not putting much effort into our work, yet most of the time I turned it in but I knew it wasn’t my best. Like I said already I didn’t put in the effort needed and often missed turning in major assignments. It’s okay to admit that now because I’ve seen how my laziness has affected us. Also, time management was a big struggle for me back then and still is to this day, I wish I would’ve talked to someone about it and gotten help. Instead, I kept making mistakes and slacking off. Surely as you progress through the 7th grade you will start to have a better perspective on what I am saying right now.
Please learn from all this information and start managing your time better and other things better. Another piece of advice is to stay away from drama as much as possible. Drama distracted me a lot in 7th grade and looking back, I realize all that mess wasn’t worth it. Focus on your studies and your personal growth instead. Oh, and about that girl you’re talking to right now? Trust me, she’s not worth the trouble. I feel like she was a huge distraction to us which was another reason we didn’t do well. You might see things differently, but I’ve been there trust me. It’s best if you leave her alone and find something more beneficial to us. Also looking back I realized that is not the right time for all of that so focus on your studies, please. Lastly, not everyone you meet is your friend! They may seem like it but trust me some of them are keeping huge secrets from you. It took me a while to understand this, but I hope you’ll be wiser about who you trust and who you stay close to since I’m telling you firsthand.
To wrap things up, I want to remind you how important it is to make the most out of 7th grade and beyond. This time is key to building a good foundation for the future. Learn from my mistakes, try to manage your time better, stay out of unnecessary drama, and focus on your studies and personal growth. Be careful about who you trust and keep close. By making these small changes, you’ll set yourself up for success. I’m cheering for you and know you can do it. Make these years count.
Take care of yourself and remember, these years are important. I believe in you.
With care,
Your older self
Photo Credits: Shuttershock
Dontae Patterson- DeLaSalle- DMSF Class of 2028