Mom, I'm nervous about growing up. What if when I'm an adult, I don't know how to pay insurance or buy a house or make car payments or pay taxes, or what if there are things I don't know that I don't know, and I need to know them?

Ginette, you'll figure it out. Don't worry about it.

Are you sure? It seems like there's so much to being an adult. I don't want to grow up.


Dear Seventeen-year-old Ginette,

Being an adult is aWeSOme. Remember that one time you didn't want to be an adult? Well, being autonomous (adjective: existing or capable of existing independently) is great. You won't want anyone else to pay your bills, pay your telephone bills, or pay your automo-bills. There's just something so rewarding in taking care of yourself. And since this is a retroactive message, I'd just like to add a couple, okay a few, suggestions right on in here for next year . . .

• Don't take seventeen credits your first semester of college and work a job and try to date someone. Seriously, play more!
• That first trip to Vegas, try to get some sleep--otherwise you will sleep through the Relief Society meeting you're supposed to conduct in church and feel super guilty about it for a long time, but at least you'll never do it again.
• Call Colette, and keep commitments to Vincent and Chantal.
  
• Maybe you should add an ice cream scoop to that wall; everyone finds out anyway.
• Be excited to ask Scott and Ryan to the freshman dance because you and Liz come up with a sAweeet way to ask.
• Do enjoy Alisa's Zelda calls. Hilarious.
• Don't save your Dining Plus money to buy kitchen supplies. Eventually, you inherit a bunch anyway.
• Get a planner; your memory doesn't get any better.
  
• You might not like country music now, but there will be a few songs you end up liking; be okay with it.
• Get to know everyone. There are some fabulous people from your freshman year that you will keep on bumping into, and you'll wonder why you didn't know them then.
• Don't invite Hans to play spoons. The poor guy will have to redshirt his freshman season after he breaks his arm in a vicious entanglement over the last spoon.
• Switch from archeology to socioculture or sociology. Indiana Jones' life is way more exciting than the real thing. (But still take Anthro 101; you get to take an incredible camping/road trip with your class.)
  
• LOVE Kent's rendition of the velociraptor in the Cannon Center right before you leave for Christmas break. It's AMAZING! Seriously, you will remember it for years to come, and it will make you laugh.
• Meet up with everyone for devotional, and do not miss the modern dance one. Oh man, you will be able to identify with Zoobies on that one for years to come. The flailing arms will never be forgotten.
• Spend more time with Janelle Kisby. She won't be a Kisby for long.
  
• Get to know Lynn Smart better your first year of college. Geesh, she's super cool.
• And as for becoming more adult-like (I feel obligated to offer this in light of the purpose of this blog), I suggest you study harder for American Heritage, try to be better about your sleep patterns, and, seriously, use the planner.
  

Always,
Your older (and hopefully wiser) self