I hope you’re doing well! I wonder if you’re already a pediatrician or studying to be one! Right now, I’m dreaming big about going to med school someday. Being a pediatrician would be so amazing because I love helping kids (I know I’m one too lol), and I hope you still feel that way, too. I imagine you have many friends who love exploring the world with you, and I hope you’re always having fun together, laughing a lot, and making wonderful memories everywhere you go.

Have you been to lots of places yet? I picture us in cool places with big beaches, making sandcastles, playing in the water, and maybe even trying fun water sports like surfing! I want us to try exciting things that make us happy. Don’t forget to visit local beaches whenever you can. There’s something magical about the ocean that makes everything feel better. I hope you’ve seen beautiful sunrises and sunsets, the kind that make you smile and feel warm inside. Maybe you still have a journal or take pictures of all the cool things you’ve done. That way, you can look back and remember all the good times.

Keep going after your dreams! I’m counting on you to make them come true.

So, yeah maybe there’s been a lot of change, but that hasn’t stopped you. Hearing it all, I can’t help but feel excited myself. It sounds like life is turning out better than I could’ve imagined!

The pressure to do well in high school was overwhelming; it felt like everyone expected us to hit the ground running. Suddenly, failure wasn’t just a bad grade, it was a possibility I had to confront. I found myself questioning if I was cut out for this, worried that I wouldn’t measure up to the new standards or that I wouldn’t find my place in highschool.

When this time comes, I hope you stay safe. You can do that by staying inside and wearing a mask. And no, not like a masquerade mask! I mean the kind doctors wear on TV. I know this sounds bizarre, almost fictional, but it was all too real. It wasn’t just school that changed; life as we knew it shifted completely.

I’ve had opportunities to dive deep into research, studying childhood from new perspectives and learning about the complex lives and needs of kids. I've met people who are as passionate as I am about making a difference, and being in this environment has opened my mind in ways I never expected.

I’ve also found myself exploring outside the classroom joining clubs, volunteering, and even working on projects that bring together what I’m learning with real-world experiences. There’s a sense of independence now that feels both thrilling and daunting. For the first time, I feel like I’m shaping my path, one step at a time!

There was one teacher who made a huge impact on me during this time. She stayed late after school almost every day, patiently going over the things I didn’t understand. That time together helped me get through the work, but it also gave me a new sense of purpose. I realized I wanted to be a teacher, just like her. Someone who could make school a little easier, and maybe even a bit brighter, for kids who felt as lost as I once did.

Back then, I was annoyed with school, always wishing I could fast-forward to when I was older and past this stage. But looking back, that time holds some of my best memories, ones I didn’t appreciate then. It’s where I met my best friend, for one a friendship that started with a random seat next to mine and ended up feeling like home.