Advice to My Past Self. by Corynne

Advice to My Past Self. by Corynne - July 2025 Scholarship Essay

If I could give one piece of advice to my past self, it would be to work hard to keep relationships with loved ones strong because you never know how much time you have left. Unfortunately, many people spend time wishing they had done more, once they realize that opportunity is gone. We were all given families for a reason, yet we still let ourselves drift away from one another. I have found that there is truly nothing more important and valuable than having family to lean on. Having that automatic support team is something like no other. The unconditional love that flourishes between family is truly remarkable. If I could go back, I would remind myself of this everyday. Everything else is just a distraction. If you don’t have those special family connections, then what do you have? I have spent a lot of time pondering that exact question, and all I can come up with is nothing. You have no base, no foundation to be built upon. We have to start living in the moment. We need to put an end to the countless hours of time spent on electronics or other pointless activities that get you nowhere and instead, be with the ones who care. The ones who have been yearning for your time and attention. Our time here is unpredictable, so why don’t we put the ones we love most first? That has been the biggest life lesson I have had to learn the hard way.