So this is the part of our journey where we go our separate ways. My time writing you notes and teaching you about life in Italy is ending. It makes me think about what I would tell my younger self when I was a student sitting right where you are (I really did have class in your very classroom!). Here is my advice:
Follow your passions.
If you love something and it makes you feel happy inside, do more of it. Joy is a great guide.
Believe in yourself.
Believing is powerful. When you say, “I can,” you are already opening a door. When you say, “I can’t,” you are closing it. Choose your words carefully. If you believe in yourself, work hard and maybe have a little luck, amazing things can happen.
Work hard.
Whatever you want in life, give it your best effort. I have learned that being determined and staying positive can take you very far.
Health is wealth.
Your body is important. When I was your age, I liked jumping off very high things to show my parents that I could (and I would feel cool in the process). Now my knees don’t always feel great. Care for your body because you only get one!
Enjoy being young.
You only get one life. Working hard matters, but so does having fun and staying curious.
