Who You Were Is Just as Important as Who You Are

As people grow up, their roots begin to become nothing more than a memory. 

However, at the end of the day, acknowledging your development can cause your viewpoint to change, enabling you to view previous challenges from a different angle. Even though the path may have been difficult, it allows you to notice the positive improvements in yourself and the progress you've achieved.

Life sweeps you off your feet and you suddenly find yourself working your way to retirement. One day you’re in a kiddy pool and the next you’re in the deep end wondering how time managed to fly right past you. 

Empathy and compassion for oneself are fostered by reflection. It enables you to compassionately and empathetically embrace the challenges and errors of the past, fostering self-acceptance and personal development.

It isn’t a bad thing to become an adult, mature and ultimately leave your childhood behind. As of right now, we’re in college. After we graduate, we go out into the real world, wherever it may take us. 

We asked nine students what they would tell their younger selves if they had the chance. It promotes reflection and self-awareness, enabling you to evaluate the choices, actions, and experiences you've made in the past. Knowing how you've changed throughout time might give you important insights into the path of your own personal development.

The way we carry ourselves into that milestone is a representation of who we were, where we come from, and how we grew up.

Recollecting the past gives us a second to reflect on where we came from before we move on to that next stage of our life. If we were given the opportunity to talk to our younger selves, I wonder what we’d say.

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“Don’t let anyone diminish your spark! Gosh, you’re such a ball of light. I miss you. Learn that life throws curve balls and it has nothing to do with you! Life is just funny like that and throws you off course all the time. When this happens, it becomes crucial to know yourself enough to know what the right next step is. So figure out who you are before society tells you what to be. Strangers can’t possibly know your whole story— ignore them. Every. Single. Time. F*** the haters. Love yourself. Listen to your intuition. Stand your ground. Continue to be kind. Keep your heart just how it is even though it may be tested. It takes great strength to remain soft and gentle in spite of it all. Love ya, girl.”

- Julia Garcia (she/her); 5th year majoring in studio arts, minoring in graphic design

“Dear younger self, embrace imperfections because they shape your uniqueness. Don't dwell on failures; they're stepping stones to success. Procrastination steals time; act now, for every moment counts. Believe in your abilities; greatness awaits beyond self-doubt. Keep moving forward, for the journey holds endless possibilities. You're capable of extraordinary things. Keep believing. And keep your positivity always. Don’t ever let anyone’s words or actions bring you down.”

- Alexandra Pacheco (she/her); 3rd year majoring in pre-animation 

“There will be many times when you question whether you are a good person, and you’ll doubt your experiences and identity. You’ll probably ask others to give you an answer, and they’ll decide for you. Don’t do that. Even if you’re scared to, make mistakes, do dumb things, and learn from your experiences. As long as it was your decision to make, everything will turn out fine.” 

- Alec Milan (he/they); 4th year majoring in studio art

“We are all billions of atoms that make up universes in a vessel, in that being ourselves. The universe outside this vessel will still cease to exist so do whatever it is the f*** you want and go beyond whatever it is that you are holding back. Reinvent yourself as often as you need to in order to become the best version of yourself. Always give yourself some credit for how far you've come. And don’t forget to take your vitamins.”

- Eric John Caday (he/him); 3rd year majoring in studio art

“I think about this question a lot. I could imagine my younger self staring back at me wondering what I should be saying to her, given I was probably just as scared then as I am now, but if I could tell her anything, it would be, ‘I am so proud of everything you are and will become. Life has so many ups and downs that it’s going to be hard to keep track. You’ll learn that the happier moments are going to make up for the bad, always: the good people, the happy memories, and the brighter days. All at once they’ll hide all those things that hurt. So, I would say to look at life through a more creative lens.’ I think that would give her more motivation to see life more optimistically and reassure her of her worries of the future.”

- Mia Villalobos (they/she); 4th year majoring in architecture

“I would tell my younger self that it’s okay to make mistakes. I know that sounds cliché, but it’s true. Growing up I was called the ‘Jesus’ child in my family because I never did anything wrong. That put so much pressure on me growing up to strive for perfection. I was so busy worrying about being perfect that I didn’t take any time to just breathe and do things that I loved just to do them. I would say that at some point, no matter what, you’re gonna do something that might make your parents disappointed for a moment, but they still love you and think that you are great. They don’t actually expect perfection for you, so you shouldn’t either.”

- Jensen Puckett (she/her); 4th year majoring in journalism

“For a kid who could not serve themselves juice without spilling half of it on the table, whose eyes would become watery from any rise of angry intonation from an adult, and who could not be forced to pay attention to someone talking beyond their first sentences, I am proud to say, we came out pretty alright. I would tell you about our future struggles alongside all the ways they could be prevented or resolved, but I am certain that if I did, you would not develop into half as great of a man as you would become. Don’t stress. While you can, enjoy being a kid.”

- Edwin Moreno (he/him); 2nd year majoring in mechanical engineering 

“The amount of effort you put in is worth it. When you’re my age, you’ll see that you have a bright future and are surrounded by people you love and care about. Follow what you love (computers and technology) and everything will be alright. Also, buy Bitcoin.“

- Skye Rogers (he/him); 4th year majoring in computer engineering 

"Enjoy that pizza as much as you can because later on in life you develop lactose intolerance."

- Zach Vargas (he/him); 4th year majoring in computer science