To a younger me by Isabela

To a younger me by Isabela - April 2021 Scholarship Essay

“You can’t change the past; you can only move forwards towards the future.” It’s a phrase we’ve all heard thousands of times, from our friends and family, from movies, teachers, and the authors of books. But just because the past is unchangeable doesn’t mean that we don’t dwell on it. Because of this fact, it is easy to answer the prompt of this essay. If I could give any advice to myself five years ago, it would be to relax.
As a younger girl, I was always self-conscious about speaking out in class and with my friends not to say anything that would be embarrassing or simply for fear of being wrong. This habit was at its strongest five years ago since I was fairly new to the school and the country. This habit of mine caused alienation from my classmates, and I regret not breaking from it earlier. Now I realize that any of those times I stayed quiet, I could have been part of the conversation, and nobody would have been opposed to it. I could have answered in class when I thought I knew the answer, but I didn’t say anything for fear of getting it wrong.
That is why, If I could give advice to myself five years ago would be to relax. I would tell her that she should breathe and jump into the conversation. To not be afraid to try new things, since they could very well end up being entertaining or beneficial somehow. Because life is better when you work hard and are confident in yourself and what you do, instead of stressing about perfections on every little detail, I would have loved to enjoy my high school life more. Participate in my classes, speak confidently to teachers, and spend more time talking to friends. Taking a more relaxed approach to others yet still aim for success.
We can’t change the past, but I would give myself this advice and hope that I would have followed it if I could. This isn’t just advice for me five years ago, but also for my present and future selves.