10 things I want my future self to know

Typically when I write an article, I write for the past or present. But this time I'm writing for the future. I'm 17 now, but at what age will I be reading this in the future? 18? 20? 30? 50? Only time will tell. Did I finally get my computer science degree? What happened to Triteens? Did I meet the love of my life? Did I create my own business or end up in a 9-5? Which college did I end up in? As these questions roam my mind, I want to keep this article as a reminder of the naive teenager I am right now.

1. Don't forget your roots

I don't know whether you still hold citizenship in Bangladesh, but it's still a part of you. Whatever you do, don't try to assimilate too much into American culture and erase your own. Don't forget the tastes and scents of home. Don't forget how to speak the language your country fought to keep. Don't forget the history of your country and especially don't forget the memories you had in your country. These are your roots and you have to be proud of them!

2. Do not forget your family

“There's always room for family.” – Dom Toretto, Fast Five (2011)

2011 must feel like ages ago, but this quote is timeless. Remember the people who raised you and the memories you kept with them. Don't let a fight with your parents be the last thing you ever remember with them. Make each moment with them count and work hard to make them proud. Call them regularly and without needing a reminder. Keep your extended family close and your immediate family even closer. Don't forget to keep in touch with your brother as well. If by some chance when you're reading this you are starting a family of your own, remember that they come first. If you have kids, remember you were once their age, you've made mistakes and you have regrets too but you probably still ended up fine. Anyway, keep in mind the people that have been there for you, that's my point.

3. Stop sleeping late and ruining your health

Sorry to turn this into a vent but you spent so many hours sleeping late waking up at 6:30 am. Was it worth it? Maybe. But now that you're older, it's time for you to take responsibility. Do you remember writing this article? Well, now the consequences are going to add up. Unless you want the things mentioned in that article to come true, you need to maintain self-care by sleeping on time. Set an alarm or something for 10:00 pm and sleep by then! Don't benefit your career at the cost of your health.

4. Never stop telling stories

You started Triteens because you wanted young people to be able to tell their stories. Now that you're older and more experienced, you have more power to tell even crazier stories than ever. Being over 18, now you have access to databases, PR releases, and you can even start your own company. With all this power, how will you tell a story? Creative programming? Blogging? Videography? It's all up to you, I won't be able to predict anything, but I have confidence in you! You're going to be able to tell important stories and maybe even make a difference one word at a time!

5. Listen to more music

Remember this song? This was one of your favorite artists growing up. Each song got you through hours of studying, Fortnite and chilling. They got you through the happy times and sad times. Songs like these open your mind and get you hooked on stories. Music is a powerful tool for focus and enjoyment, so keep listening to it. Maybe you don't like this artist anymore, but remember that one song can be enough to inspire you.

6. Enjoy nature while it lasts

The earth we know is slowly disappearing, the weather, the soil, and the smells around us are all changing. The wonders of Mother Nature are going away. The icebergs are melting, trees disappearing, and the air is not the same anymore. Everything around us is changing, and each day is not guaranteed, so make the most of it, and enjoy the great outdoors while you still can. Bring someone you care about, or a dog, or maybe a cat? I don't care what you bring but remember you need nature. It inspires you, improves your mental health, and overall brings you awesome memories!

7. Hush....take a moment to yourself

So connected, or are we? The famous French painter JK (Jean-René) said "The more social media we have, the more we think we're connecting, yet we are really disconnecting from each other", which shows the state of the modern world, which will probably get worse as we become more and more connected online. So put the electronics down and take a deep breath. The emails, messages, notifications, etc. all of it can wait, this moment here is for you. Take a moment with those you care about, reflect on all the wonderful things you have, read a book, or just sit back and listen to music. Take a moment without worrying about everyone else, finally being able to worry about yourself first.

8. Stay hydrated

"Come on there's no way you needed an entire entry just for this", that's probably what you're thinking right now right? Well I'm here to tell you, yes I have to tell you this. If you're not taking this advice already you better do it. I had 2 nosebleeds this week. Do you really want to go into adulthood still getting nosebleeds? What are you 5? Seriously. Get better and hydrate better. It's a dangerous cycle to end off the day with a lack of water.

9. Speak slowly

People sometimes can't understand when you talk. You just speak too fast and you're speaking faster than you can think. It's okay to take a moment to let your thoughts catch up. We all have moments where we blank out, but it's gonna happen more if you speak faster than your mind can keep up. So slow down, it's not a race to see who can finish speaking first. You'll be fine even if you're not the first speaker. Take a moment to slow down and calm down.

10. Don't be the best, be your best

Whatever you're doing, remember that you don't have to be the number one in that area. The competition is only against yourself. Being better than yourself is the best way you can challenge yourself, especially when trying something new. Who knows? Maybe by doing this cycle, you can become the best. But when you compete with yourself and try to beat yourself, then even when you're at the number 1 position you'll still be giving it your best effort, because you're testing your strengths and improving yourself.

Hope you guys enjoyed this article that's an open letter to my future self. This took a lot of thinking to reflect on, but I think the pieces of advice here are really interesting and will be funny, inspiring, and helpful for my future self. Before writing this I wasn't sure that much about my future, but now I've also become more confident in my future. So with that, see you in the next post!

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