Happy Friday y’all! Today is such a big day for me because I’m officially 22 years old! I can’t believe time has flown by to the point where I can say I’ve been an adult for four long years. Wow that sentence seriously makes me nauseous.

So much has happened throughout my four years of college and I’m seriously so nostalgic throughout this last official lap I can’t even begin to explain all of the emotions coming up recently. While my insomnia was hitting me around 1 AM the other night I stumbles upon one of my favorite vloggers videos, Sarah Belle, where she wrote a letter to her 18 year old self and I felt so many different emotions hearing her read it that I decided I wanted to do something similar. Over the last four years I’ve gone through literally everything you could imagine, from the good the bad and the ugly, back to great and better. So as I get a little more personal with you today for this occasion (I’m seriously such an emotional sap when it comes to milestones y’all), I also wanted to thank you again for your continuous love and support! This little hobby really does keep me going and I can’t express how much the blogging community means to me.

Dear 18 year old Kayleigh,

Congratulations! You’ve finally made it through that hell-hole of a high school. I know you didn’t think you would make it with the amount of crazy dance moms that tried to tear you down every second they got and that miserable high school drill team director that allowed them to. You’re going to have trust issues and anxiety problems for years, but the sooner you learn that high school was such a minute detail of your life the better for there are so many greater things ahead I can’t even wait for you to experience. By now you’re preparing to attend your parents alma mater, and you’ve already experienced your first heartbreak. The biggest piece of advice I could ever give you is that they always come back. And an even bigger piece of advice I could give is that just because they come back, that doesn’t mean you should allow them in. Soon you’ll discover how huge the world is and how many fish in the sea there are kid, and you have too much to offer to be tied down so young. Listen to your mom when she tells you the story about her high school boyfriend, it’s the exact same one you’ll have and her advice should be taken seriously.

Don’t skip class that first semester of college. When you have to dress up for initiation week, just do it instead of missing the entire week because you’re too lazy. Pay attention in econ, it’s miserable but just do it. Go out on Wednesdays when your older friends call you, but make sure your priorities are straight. Hang out with more than just a few friends and put yourself out there. And for heavens sake go to Sigma Chi when your friends ask instead of waiting until your junior year to enter the door, those kids will become some of your best friends and give you the craziest memories.

Listen to your gut and pay close attention to the importance that your sorority will put on healthy relationships. If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck. Never allow someone, especially a boy, to make you feel like you aren’t worthy because you are. Never let a boy guilt you into believing that you are at fault for anything negative, because it’s not true and you may not see it now but someday you will. If only I could show you now what all you accomplish by the time you turn 21, but I don’t want to spoil any surprises for you. Don’t let a boy hold you back from what you want and what you plan. You’ve been dreaming of living in New York since you were 12, no one should ever get in the way of that dream. The second you do decide to spend a long period of time there you’re heart will burst and never be the same again.

Seriously, friends will come and go. You’ll have multiple best friends in college just like you did in high school. Always remember that you’re #1 best friend is Mom. She’s your biggest fan and always will be, so don’t forget to call her when you walk home from class or say thank you. Mom will always be your go-to, but when you get older you’ll click with your Dad so much more than you did in high school and form an unbreakable bond that only you two can share. Embrace how amazing your parents are, they support and love you more than anything and you’ll learn that more than anything taught at school over the next four years. Stop getting jealous of Ellen and her new friends, you’ll always be her KK and she’ll always be your Lenore and you’ll get to spend ample amount of time with her regardless of living in two separate states.

The most important advice I can leave you with is don’t take life too seriously. Loosen up and have fun. I swear the second you finally let go of your past and embraced who you wanted to be was the greatest moment of your life. These four years are the best of your life; you have everyday after to work. Always stay humble like your Dad taught you, but never let anyone stand in your way. Embrace moments, splurge on the things you want and don’t forget to take the time to laugh until your stomach cramps. Life is too short kid!

Here’s to one more year in the books, let’s make it the best one yet!

Photography by Lauren Anderson. If you’re ever in Houston she’s your gal!

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