Nostalgia at its weirdest and slightly embarrassing-est.

During my senior year in high school, I took Leadership. It was mostly a bullshit, easy A class, but it did provide me with a number of fun experiences. For our final assignment we had to write ourselves a letter that our teacher, Mr. Blakely, would send to us in 5 years. We could write anything we wanted. Apparently Mr. Blakely was a little late on holding up his end of the deal, but he did follow through. I got that letter today, almost 7 years later! Here is what I wrote, verbatim:

“6/6/01

Dear self (haha),

Have you forgotten already? This is your leadership final – written in 2001. I’ll graduate in 8 days, along with my greatest group of friends, the Angels (Jean, Tina, Ashley, Elyse, Kristin, Seana, and Jenny) I’ve had an amazing senior year, and learned a lot about myself. I have had times of struggle, friendship, and boredom. But the year was well-rounded and fun. I hope in 5 years I’ve graduated from Tech and at least had a couple boyfriends! I hope I’m a lot skinnier, too. Bobby Convey, I love him. He scored his first goal this season, I was there to see it! I finished Girl Scouts, and I have a lot to look forward to in the summer. Beach Week, Germany (with Ashley!) and Cancun. Then I start my new life in college!! Yeah, I have blond hair now…wonder what it’ll be in 5 years. This is my last year playing the clarinet, too.

If you haven’t read “Soldier of the Great War” recently, do it. And keep in touch with high school friends, the Angels, and see if Travis Pope and Adam Temple are still alive. :-) I’m not taking this very seriously. Since high school is almost over and it’s REALLY scary that I’m starting basically all over, try to keep some part of high school with you. Friends, memories, anything. It shaped me thus far and I think it deserves to be carried with me. Especially friends, they’ve been wonderful, don’t forget about them. This is weird…which reminds me,

“LIFE IS FAR TOO IMPORTANT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY”

Keep that in mind, don’t forget, you can make any situation amusing if you need to. I’m sure I’ll be more serious in 5 years but still, people w/o any laughter in their eyes are dull.

Most importantly, respect yourself and know that you’re a good person – the only person you can always count on is yourself. – What a smart 18 year old I am!!!

Love,

Me

- hopefully my nickname is still LB!! That’d be “tight”, I “sweat” that. That’s slang that Heather always makes fun of, I bet I will too in 5 years, oh and “emotional”. haha. “

A large portion of this is ridiculous; I think we can all agree on that. But I think for being almost 7 years ago, a lot of it still rings true. I like the “you can make any situation amusing if you need to”. Absolutely, Age18Laura. I also like that I completely admit to not taking it seriously. I would write about Bobby Convey in an assignment I’m supposed to be taking seriously. I do still love him though. I also enjoy that I’m generally all over the place…clearly that hasn’t changed.

So it’s obvious that I’m not any skinnier, I haven’t had any luck in the boyfriend department, and I’m really not any more serious than I was then…though that’s one I hope doesn’t ever change. The first two I’m finally getting around to working on, so I’m not really too disappointed. They will both come in time, and while I want both of them very much, I do understand that patience plays a big part.

I would be willing to say that I’m not the only person I can count on. Last night I had dinner and dessert with Sarah, Tina and her fiancé Ben, Seana, and Elyse and her boyfriend Brad. Looks like I kept in touch with those ladies like I’d hoped I would. (Last night was so much fun, by the way) I’m surprised I left out the College Crew in the letter, but I think my senior year was really about finding those friends that were still in high school with me. I didn’t know the friendship gold I struck in the College Crew until a year or two later. I’m extra lucky to have friends in the Angels and the CC. (yes, we name our groups of friends, what!?!??)

It seems like I was serious and caring where it mattered, but generally was just a doofus. I’d like to think that still applies.

Okay, now onto less absurdly emotional things. Or, just a different kind of emotion:

HOLY CRAP SDFSDFSDFIOSJDFOISJD@!!!!!111!!!!!! I BOUGHT MY TICKET TO LONDON YESTERDAY. I leave from Dulles on June 2nd at 9:41pm and arrive in London at 10am the next day. Then, after what I hope is the best time of my life, I leave at 4:20pm on July 29th, and arrive back home at Dulles at 7:34pm.

Visitors expected! :-)