Dear Grade 12 Justin,
I know you have a lot of things on your mind right now. Will I be happy at university? Do I end up making friends? Do the Jets finally make it past the first round?
Yes, yes, and...yes! I know those three things are hard to believe, but hard times have a weird way of passing silently. Before you know it, you’re wrapping up your second year of university and preparing to step into a grown-up summer internship for the first time in your life.
And yet, reading this, it must all seem so far away. So many unknowns, so many permutations and combinations (Grade 12 Math reference) of life yet to be thrown at you. And although I’m yet to fully understand myself – I’m still only nineteen! – I promise you things will work out in the end.
Here’s a little sneak peek of how life goes. You’ll apply to Western University (which you’ll later find out is not in B.C., you silly Manitoban. It’s Western Ontario, not Western Canada. Yes, this is a real problem I had). Remember that tiny little “Ivey” box you ticked on your application because you weren’t sure if you wanted to do Computer Science, so you’d better “keep your doors open?” That actually ends up being a really big part of your first two years. It’ll push you to try case competitions, join clubs, and cross paths with people you’ll be lucky to call your friends.
You’re probably thinking, yeah, good for you, but it’s not all sunshine and rainbows over here. I need to get there first. Wait, how did you read my mind? That’s because I’m you! Doy! For my next act, can I guess what you’re thinking next? Probably that you need to do everything under the sun to get here. Every club, every leadership position, every competition. The more lines you can stack onto your resume, the better...just to be safe, right?
Wrong! What actually ends up mattering the most is depth. The things you care enough about to put real effort into. No, it doesn’t matter if barely anyone showed up to the Coding club you started. You took initiative without being told. Those are the stories that end up mattering, not the titles themselves.
You’re also probably quite surprised that I’ve made it halfway through my letter without bringing up the G-word. Yes, you’re going to stress a lot about your grades. And to be fair, they do matter. But not in the way you think! It’s not about chasing perfection on every test. It’s about consistency; about building habits that you can sustain without burning yourself out. I’d actually like to take this moment to thank you for forming great high school study habits. Boy, do those end up coming in handy this year. (If only you formed some cooking habits too...)
You’re also going to question your decisions. Why Western? Why Ivey? Is it the right path? What if there’s something better out there? The truth is, the grass can always be greener. The steak can always be juicier, and the lobster butterier. But in the words of J. Cole, “There’s no such thing as a life that’s better than yours.”
No choice is perfect. All you can do is commit and make the most of it. And once you’re here, I can promise you one thing: you’ll start to see why you chose this path in the first place.
Past me, if there’s one thing I wish you understood earlier, it’s that you don’t need to have everything figured out. Your goals will change, your interests will shift (no, you don’t end up becoming a Fortnite streamer. Put the keyboard down), and the path you think you’re on will evolve. And the hardest pill to swallow is that this is a good thing.
So, take a deep breath.
Tell the people you love that you love them. Focus on doing a few things well. Be intentional with your time. Stop comparing yourself to everyone else. And trust that you are exactly where you need to be.
You’re closer than you think.
Sincerely,
Justin