Dear 18 year-old Simran,
Hi. I really wish this was real and I could send this letter to you that I am about to write. There are so many things I wish I could tell you so, you could be who I am right now. It took me around seven years to be myself. But I want you to have a head start. So there goes nothing.
I am writing to you from 2021. You are going to turn 25 in a little more than a month. How does that sound? Daunting? Or I bet at least not so great. You believe your are an old soul and an introvert who is scared of dogs, and completely dependent on your parents. Lets see if I can help change some of it.
Here is some wisdom I want to pass to you so that in some magical parallel world where you are still 18, you can get this and make a life you deserve.
Don't be ashamed to get fit
Being raised in a middle class Punjabi family with all the brothers, I was always scared to go to gym because I was told that its not a safe place for girls. They pointed out to me that guys went there solely to find girls of their interests or that the instructor/trainer might turn out to be a perv and wrongfully touch you. This was enough to scare me and keep me away from it.
I am not saying that its absolutely not true or doesn't happen. But this shouldn't be the discouragement for never even giving it a try.
Go and see for yourself. Find ways to be cautious of your surroundings and don't just lock yourself in four walls, working out wrong exercises to lose weight. Maybe you will actually start to love yourself better if you see how much courage you hold in that heart of yours. Love yourself and dress the way you think in your head and not the way society wants to see you.
Stop being worried about getting Tanned
Being born and raised in Delhi, India, the most common thing I heard from my mother or neighbors were their worry about my skin tone. In a country where Fair and Lovely is promoted and held prestigiously, I was in a constant battle with my skin. I have lighter shade of chocolate and apparently some of my cousins were fair skinned, which was another reason I had to stop going out in the sun.
Don't create a barrier on how much to travel. Walk in the sun, go out with friends in summer days, and be proud of your tan. Because that tan on your arms displays your adventures. The tone of your skin does not define you. Free yourself from this battle and take some load off your shoulder love.
Take care of your Mental Health
Raised in a family where no one ever talked about mental health or even what it means, made it hard for me to showcase or place names to my emotions. Some days you feel something and you don't understand what. That's zeal rushing in your veins. Listen to your gut and do something about it.
Accept somedays your are upset over nothing and be good to your bad days. I know you talk to yourself in the mirror and don't ever stop that. Don't think that its something to feel bad about. It's not. You are doing great. Self talk is amazing and everyone should try. Take some days off from stress and find peace in better habits like meditation.
Don't be afraid of people. They too have flaws
I grew up as an introvert. I was the kid in the class who had questions but not the courage to ask them, who had the answers requested but not the confidence to speak out loud, who no one really remembered. I understand that you have already graduated high school and there is nothing you can do about the past. But choose your future wisely.
I know you are contemplating a private college with 15 students in one class vs government college with 60-80 students in one class. And just the thought of being surrounded by so many people terrifies you. And it's okay, but don't give in to your fear. People are human too, they have flaws and imperfections just like you. You might be surprised how many just think the same way as you. Choose the college which can be better for your future. Trust yourself. People are not going to eat you!
Write until your hands hurts. Write Now.
I know you have always wondered about your talent of narrating on the spot made-up stories to your friends and what it actually means for you. Let me tell you. You are a writer my friend. Don't believe me? Go on and write something. You are going to start a new journey of your life. Give it all. For this part, I am truly proud of you. You did so well. You wrote for straight 16 hours a day, you wrote in the middle of a night, or in too-early kind of morning.
But I want to say don't confide yourself to just yourself. Find more writers like you, engage with them, go to writing workshops or attend them online. Learn more and read more.
Make use of the time you have on your hand because couple years later you will barely have time for necessities of life, leave alone the luxury to write a novel of 52 chapters.
Wrapping up with, yes you have something beautiful in you and that is the power to create fictional worlds and pour life in them. The people you are scared of, will eventually become either your friends or someone who you would easily be able to hold conversations with. Keep your head high and make things true for yourself. Worry less and live more. I know you can do it :)
Signing off,
Simran from future
Awesome work baby
Superb