If I could meet If I could meet mini-me…

If I were to meet any past version of myself, it would have to be 17-year-old me. Though only three years have passed, that version of myself feels so distant despite being crucial to my journey to where I am today. My 17-year-old self felt hopeless: she was tasked with making crucial decisions about what and where she wanted to study. She had health problems that she didn’t understand, and she was feeling burnt out from trying to tackle online learning with undiagnosed ADHD. Out of all previous iterations of myself, she would be most likely to listen. My advice may not be the most helpful to her. However, she would appreciate someone trying, and it would help her to know that she’ll be okay no matter what.

Trust your gut instincts, but be prepared for the doubts accompanying them
If you’re carrying the weight of your instincts telling you that your body or mind is making it more difficult for you to move through the world, you are being told to do something about it. Even if you get dismissed by doctors, teachers, or anyone who is meant to support you, you should not just keep quiet. Unfortunately, they will continue to dismiss your concerns. However, there really are people out there who are willing to listen to you and take you seriously. It may just take time to find them. There may be times when you even doubt the validity of your concerns. That takes some time to process – I’m still trying to navigate that. A friend once told me – and will tell you – that if there were truly nothing wrong, then you would not be so anxious and conflicted. I remind myself of that now whenever I have those doubts.

University will remain daunting, but it will work wonders for you
The thought of going to university is often terrifying, particularly when you are trying to decide on the right university for you at a time when you are not allowed to visit the university. However, that is temporary. You will get to see Warwick before September, which will reassure you. University will continue to be daunting, but I implore you not to let that stop you from pursuing whatever you wish. There will be instances throughout the three years where you question your choices. This feeling is normal. Don’t let that stop you from enjoying your time there. You may also feel the pressure to get involved in anything and everything. However, that is futile. There is absolutely no harm in taking things slow. You may discover some of the best things for you much later on in your degree. Better late than never.

Try to keep it simple regarding food
No matter how independent you think you are, adjusting to living away from home isn’t easy. Regardless, there is no need to worry about getting it right straight away. If your shopping consists of ingredients for a few different and simple meals, that’s perfectly fine. Sometimes, simplicity is the best way to take care of yourself. With everything else that you have to worry about when living away from home and while trying to improve your relationship with food (which is really important), the last thing you need to stress about is trying to obtain an over-ambitious repertoire whilst cooking.

Prioritise focusing on your steps forward, not your steps back
Navigating early adulthood is stressful, and you won’t get everything right. Dwelling on the mishaps is inevitable but unhelpful. I ask that you hold on to your triumphs, because there will be a lot for you to celebrate, and it would be a shame to have them marred by any upset you experience. When you’re going through a stressful time, this can be incredibly difficult to do. However, I promise you it is worth holding on to your successes, no matter their magnitude. These successes will be your driving force for moving forward and progressing.