A Letter to My Future Self
by Annie Hsu · Oct 2026
Dear Me at Eighteen,
Hello from the past! I'm fourteen years old, and I'm writing this letter at my desk at eleven at night. Our homeroom teacher asked us to write letters to ourselves. She is going to keep them in a box and send them to us in four years. So when you read this, you'll probably be in your last year of high school. Wow!
Right now, my life is really busy. I go to school from 7:30 to 5:00, and then I go to cram school three nights a week. Next year I'll take the big test for high school, and sometimes I feel a lot of . Some nights I feel and can't sleep. I also have no idea about my job. A doctor? A designer? A teacher? I change my mind every week.
Here are a few questions for you. Are you still playing the guitar? I practice for thirty minutes every day, so please don't quit! Did you ever go to Japan with Grace? Are you two still best friends? Please say yes.
I also want to make some promises to you. I promise to sleep more and worry less. I promise to be nicer to Mom, even when she gets angry about my room. And I promise to try new things, like joining the drama club, even if I feel shy about it.
If life is hard for you right now, remember this: at fourteen, you were scared too, but you never stopped trying. Be kind to yourself, and keep your . I believe in you.
Love, Me (age 14)