Letter to my younger self...

Dearest Little Biscuit,

Remember when you were six and you told Mommy and Daddy that you wanted to be a ballerina when you grew up? What about the time when you were eleven and you were certain you wanted to be a pilot? And when you were fourteen, didn’t you want to be a paediatrician? Well, you made the right choice when you were seventeen saying that you wanted to study Journalism, and again when you were eighteen and decided that Rhodes was the place to do it.

What you failed to decide on once you’d packed your trunk was whether or not you were going to survive. Sure, you knew you were going to be a part of every society possible and go to every single party that took place while still maintaining your “smart girl” marks but you didn’t bet on the fact that your relationship with Mommy and Daddy (who are now collectively known as “the ballies”) would hide in the background only to re-emerge when you needed cash or a place to stay in the vacation. Your relationship with big brother will turn to a strained SMS once a week to find out how his weekend without you was or to try and explain that you’re still here for him now that his angel is gone – he actually just crashes his BMW into a pole. Your puppy, Levi, won’t be there anymore when you go home in March 2008 and when you arrive back in June the new puppy, Khola, will be able to jump right onto the kitchen counter already (she’s a Great Dane by the way).

All you need to remember is that even though times may get tough and lonely, your family is always there for you. Your parents will still love you even though you fail your first French test. Your brother will still love you even though you drank so much cane and cream soda that you threw up all over your boyfriend. Candice will still be there to shop with you for clothes once you’ve gained a few kilos – just blame it on res food. While life goes on at varsity as well as at home, you’re still a part of it and missed dearly.

With love, Little Biscuit,
Big Biscuit

Back to the past...

Hi there little one,

I know this comes as somewhat of an arbitrary and bizarre occurrence – it’s not everyday that you receive a letter from your older-self. The idea may seem a bit pointless, given that I am but a few years older than you are now. But you are about to embark on a part of your life that drastically changes both you, and your outlook on life. A couple of months on your own, adapting to university life is enough to change anyone. And trust me when I say it will change you – I’ve lived that part of your life. There will be a lot of tears. There will be heartache and anguish. Your heart will be broken. More than once. You will do stupid things that you never imagined yourself doing – things that you will not be proud of. As much as these unwanted events are unpleasant to think about, they will change you as a person, for the better. You will learn from them. The words I have given you so far are far from encouraging. They do not give you an unsullied vision of what your life is going to be like after leaving home. I am being blunt with you. There will be hard and rough times. But without the hard times, how can you appreciate the good times? Because there will be smiles. There will be laughter. There will be a fabulous group of best friends who will support you in everything you do. There will be those woeful days of PMS and hangovers that only a good Hilary Duff movie and lots of chocolate will cure. These experiences are not only necessary in the development of your new life, but also in defining the new you. This letter is not meant to aid you in anyway, but purely give you an honest view of what to expect in your personal life. University life is something you are meant to experience alone, and as pathetic as this sounds, finding who you are as a person. I guess that’s all I have to say, you goofy child you.

All the best,

Chanel

xxx

PS. The dark-haired guy from De Beers called Dave? Two thumbs up… :)

Letter to my younger self...

Hello Meg,

I chose to write to you because I know, that at this moment, you are frantically trying to cram all those notes in your head for finals and practice equations like mad for Maths. I know that you see next year at Rhodes as an escape from all of this and that you hold onto it as a reward for your hard work. I would however, like to let you in on a little secret that, had I known, would have made my life so much easier: very few relationships at university are made to last forever.

Yes, I know you’ve been with him for a while and yes, I know he’s spoon fed you words about how you are going to start a life together at Rhodes, but it is a lot harder than you think. Rhodes is a small place and you’ll see him everyday (you’re probably thinking “that’s great!”) but this puts such a strain on a relationship. I want you to know that you don’t have to be so serious at such a young age. The more serious you are, the harder you’ll be crushed when it ends.

First year is difficult- managing much more work than Matric, trying to survive on limited money and trying to maintain an intense relationship is a lot harder than people think. I want you to enjoy university and not feel as though you have to devote your years to him. Boys will fade, so build a stronger relationship with your girlfriends because, when he breaks your heart, they’ll be the ones making you coffee in your room and consoling you. You owe it to them to be the best friend you can be.

Good luck with exams and have a great time at Rhodes next year. I know you will because I have!

Yours always,
Meg