Assignment #2

Give Advice To Yourself in the Past  

 Choose a particular age you have been, perhaps a time when you were particularly lost. Write out a list of practical advice to yourself at that age. Begin the list with this header: "Advice To Michelle Cambell at Sixteen" (only use your name and whatever age you want.) You must specify the age that you are giving yourself advice to! Be very specific with your advice, for example, don't just say "Hold on to your heart," but instead say "Don't go out with Kevin, he will eventually cheat on you. Go out with Jake instead, he is actually cooler." If you need to use fake names go ahead. It is easy to say that everything happens for a reason, but take this opportunity to redirect yourself towards what you think might have been better. Sure everything turned out ok, but maybe you should have quit that job five years earlier, maybe you should have had children when you were 27, maybe you should have flossed, maybe you should have gone to the alternative high school, or not said that thing to your best friend. Tell yourself what to do in clear, specific language. Do not write an essay, make it in list form.

Advice to Bethany Jane Lott at Age Ten:

1. Take more art classes in high school, not choir.

2. Hold Cooper in the hospital after he’s born. 

3. Don’t worry about going to middle school dances if you don’t want to. They’re not that cool.

4. Keep playing the cello even after you stop taking lessons.  

5. Hold Will’s hand on prom night.

6. When you learn how to drive, be especially careful on the corner of 200 East and Highway 25.

7. Make sure to take dual-credit Calculus your senior year.

8. When you try out for The Crucible in high school and Mr. Brown asks you if you want a bigger role or a smaller one, don’t say smaller.

9. Don’t kiss your best friend and also don’t kiss anyone you don’t know very well, unless you are in London.

10. Pay more attention in your Spanish classes.

 

11. Move out of Sparks II in August. Don’t wait until January.

12. Be a better friend to Amber, Stephanie, and Alison in high school.

13. When you join Advanced Speech in high school, don’t do Expository Speaking. You’re better at Oratorical Analysis. 

14. Start running.

15. Make more memories with your grandparents.