Dear younger me,
I know you’re excited to graduate 8th grade. But what are you excited about? Being free in the summertime, getting a summer job, staying in the house to just watch movies and eat junk food? I really hope that you can make the best out of 8th grade, and I hope that you won’t be afraid to speak up for yourself like you always have been when you’re nervous. I also hope that you can stop procrastinating and stop waiting until the last minute to do things. Procrastination can lead you down a bad path. Don’t rush through your homework just to finish it if you don’t understand it. What I mean by that is to take your time when doing your homework and to really understand it. Rushing through your homework without understanding it can lead you to get problems wrong by moving too fast, and reading the questions incorrectly. I hope that 8th grade treats you well. Be serious about it and grow as much as you can.
I know you’re very upset about you and your friends splitting up very soon.Time moves quickly, and that’s ok. Embrace your new journey and all the new people you’ll meet. The truth is, you’re in an environment where your learning is going to be your main concern. Your education is valuable. I remember that you liked being challenged and pushed to your absolute limit. By taking a different, non-procrastinating path, you’ll be able to be on top of all of your work on time. By touching down on your work as soon as you get home or even while in school, you can save more time for different activities, such as clubs, or sports. You will also be able to finish more work. In addition to finishing all of your work to have more free time to do more activities, you’ll feel overall more free and available. Finishing your homework early will relieve your stress. Your mom has always reminded you to not be afraid of asking for help, because making mistakes is a part of learning. Being able to go to a tutor and receive free help will allow you to build connections and trust with your teachers. You want to be remembered for your hard work.
Something we can agree on is that phones are distractions to teenagers. When you were younger, you wasted time scrolling on TikTok. Scrolling on TikTok for hours made you fall behind on my school work. You should utilize your time wisely by putting education first, instead of scrolling on social media. You also don’t want to rush through your work—you want to take your time in order to truly comprehend it. Using your time wisely will help you have more free time to study. Putting your education first can also reduce stress so that you won’t have to worry about doing work late at night. You should also enjoy your 8th grade school year by trying out new sports and clubs. I really hope that you can try out new sports. I, as a very shy person, sometimes can bring my hopes down. I believe that you should step outside of your comfort zone to meet different people to enjoy your last year of middle school. I believe in you, and have hope and confidence for you. Enjoy your middle school year, really, it flies by fast and it will be over before you know it. You’ll miss it. And don’t be afraid to speak up for yourself. I really do believe in you, and wish you a great 8th grade year and pray that your future go as planned.
Jakari Buchanan – Bennett Day School – DMSF Class of 2030
Photo Credit: Camera-man – Pixabay