Well, I can honestly say I didn't expect to win the listserv. I joined this wonderful group in 2011. I was a senior in high school, had just started dating a wonderful guy, and was nervously looking ahead to the fall when I would be 8 hours away.
7 years later, I am in grad school. I worked for two years in a tough field, but one that I love. I married that guy I was dating when I first joined. In that time together, I have learned and grown a lot as a person. I know this email is extremely cliche, but I don't feel qualified to give advice to so many people with different backgrounds and experiences. I know that 7 years from now, I will be a different person who will know so much more.
It is January, and although I don't fully subscribe to resolutions this is a month when so many people try to improve themselves. So, here is what I want to change in the next 7 years:
Increased confidence
Attain my graduate degree
Get a new job in my field
Pay off debt
Settle into a new place
Start a family
Be more kind
Take care of myself
If you are so inclined, look back at your 2011 self. Figure out a way that you have improved, and decide what aspects of your life you want to improve in the next 7 years.
If you made it this far, thank you for listening to my rambling. I almost missed the cutoff, and didn't have a lot of time!
Anonymous
East Coast, USA