Dear Noni,
It’s me, your older and wiser self. Knowing you, you’re dying for a sneak peak at what your life will look like over the next four years, so let me calm your nerves and let you take a look. You’re newly 18 and ready to take on the adult world. You’re fearless. You’re full of ideas. You’re ready...or so you think. As you and your mom board the plane in Nashville to land a few hours later at DCA, you have nothing with you but your clothes, a Howard T-shirt, and a smile. You’re full of hope….I love that about you.
You’re hoping that once you get on campus, you’ll feel the same magic you felt when you came during homecoming months before, and you will. It’ll feel like a dream come true your first year. You’ll meet friends (some of them you still have now), you’ll meet a boy (he’s long gone, but it was fun while it lasted), and you’ll meet your purpose (that’s here to stay forever).
Get excited because this ride is going to be fun and a hot mess all at the same time. Unfortunately you’ll learn some really hard lessons here too. Around Sophomore year, you’ll realize that your Howard Dream may be a dream deferred. I know you want to be involved on campus, but that’s not the plan God has for you. You’ll be mad a him for that for a little while but as I sit on the other side, you’ll be better for it. Even with this little tidbit on information, I still want you to give everything your best try, because these are lessons you can’t get around.
I also have something fun to share. You’re finally going to be a big sister to a baby girl named Papaya. Yes, Papaya. She looks just like you and acts like you too. It’s now your job to show her what it means to be a Marshall woman. Show her what she’s capable of, push her towards her purpose, and bring out the light in her.
You know this in your heart, but you’ll make it to senior year. Not only will you make it, but you’ll graduate with honors and you’ll be the strongest you’ve ever been. Your last few classes Practicum and NewsVision will kick your butt, but you know how to power through. You’ll feel like you’re drowning with working 20 hours a week, going to school daily, building your brand, and But, not before you’ve learned these lessons:
Howard is not the end of the road. When you can’t make your mark there, focus on how you can make your mark elsewhere.
Learn how to relax. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Laugh often and make fun out of everything. Find friends who allow you to be silly and make it a priority to enjoy yourself as often as possible…whatever that means for you.
Learn to love who you are. You can’t get anywhere if you’re pressed to keep up with other people. Love those curves. Love that voice. Love that skin. Love those quirks. It’s all you have, so make it work. Don’t just make it work, make it look good. You owe that to yourself.
Take classes that aren’t mandatory outside of your curriculum. Learn about things that you would never have a chance to learn in your core courses. Take a cooking class or a sewing class. Learn sign language if you’ve always wanted to. There are a bunch of free classes (and several that aren't free) that are open to all ages.
You will learn to love journalism. I know you think you love it now, but you have no idea the sacrifice and hard work it takes to become a media professional. There’s no way to sugar coat it, this business is tough, but you can handle it. There will be times that you want to quit (sometimes I still have these days), but stick it through. Stay ethical, work hard, and tell stories that matter.
Lastly, build your brand. This is the one thing that you’re gonna end up caring about more than anything. You’ll fall in love with your brand so much, and so will other people, but you’ve got to work tirelessly on it, and you won’t reap the benefits for years. But, just keep going!
Those are all of the sneak peaks I can give you, my love. You have to live the rest for yourself, and know that your 21 year old self is rooting you on. I love you more than you know, I’m proud of you, and you will be too!
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