Dear Caitlinn,

Currently, I’m suffering from writer’s block. Our best friend—she’s still your bestie, right?—gave me this idea: to write a letter to my future self.

I’ll start with some questions. Do you still struggle with finding a topic to explore and dive into? Or, do you still listen to the type of music of whatever genre you’re writing about to get into the mood?

Listen, by the time you read this again, you might be a senior. I hope we made good choices throughout our school experience. Did we get good grades? Make new friends? I’m kind of in the dark here, so you’re going to have to write back to me. Are you happy? I think that’s what really matters most. I know all of your pet peeves, they’re mine too. So I know not to tell you to do something, especially if you may already be doing it.

I’ll give you a recap of what has happened this year, just in case you forgot about your amazing freshman year of high school. First, we had a bit of a scare when we got waitlisted to get into CHS, and then right before Huron’s registration was due, we got a placement offer. We had a bit of trouble figuring out where to go, but we eventually decided to come here—and that was probably the best decision we ever made.

On the first day of school, we spelled our own name wrong on the thick cardstock paper our Intro to Lit teacher gave us for name tags. Then there was forum day, where we went to Launch and took the public bus for the first time. Midterms and then second-semester registration followed. We were so nervous that we wouldn’t be able to get into journalism that we immediately tried to find Tracy, and we signed up for her class right away. After registration, we went downtown and hung out with our friends from middle school, which was the first time we had all seen each other since the end of eighth grade.

Next was the PSAT, end-of-the-year banquets and now here, where I’m writing this letter. A week or two before finals and the last week of school. It’s been a good year. Tough and maybe sad, but good.

I tried to make this long so you can spend a good chunk of your time reading it. When you read this again, you have to answer all of my questions and recap your year, whenever that is. Just remember to take it easy, work hard, but take it easy and enjoy your experience. You only get to live once after all.

Sincerely,
Caitlinn, May 2025