“Note to my younger self” is a sentence that pops up in my mind way too often lately. It’s so fascinating that your entire life depends on a few choices you make at a moment you’re probably not fully able to make them. Like how was I supposed to know what exactly I wanted to become at the age of 18? Why didn’t I realize sooner that living in another country for a while is a true enrichment? And why didn’t anyone explain me how to distinguish the good from the bad boys? We can’t turn back time and I don’t have many regrets but I would have done a few things differently. So dear younger Ruth, read these bullet points carefully and make sure you memorize them!

11 notes to my younger self

1. Pay attention at school, you don’t realize it right now but you’ll actually need some of the information in the future.

2. Don’t make yourself too comfortable and go to university. Focus on the things you’re good at and that need improvement such as languages and writing.

3. Go studying abroad and preferably twice. To the US at the age of 18 because you’re too young to make any important decision and an erasmus to Paris later on to improve your French.

4. Don’t work too much as a student and just enjoy life. Go out, have fun!

5. Don’t waste your time on the wrong boyfriends and spare yourself a few heartbreaks. In the long run none of them were truly worth it.

6. Keep your family and good friends very close because they are the most important thing that ever happened to you.

7. Instead of spending all your money on clothes, invest in trips or save it for later. The clothes you buy right now will be old-fashioned before you even notice anyway.

8. If there are so-called friends that don’t make you a better person and make you feel bad about yourself, get rid of them. There’s no need to waste your energy.

9. If you decide at the age of 19 to cut your hair very short, DON’T DO IT!

10. Go to the dentist every year, it will save you a lot of money and never ever start smoking (for various reasons).

11. Start your own website before you turn 23 and fill it with street style pictures, it’s gonna become a hype 😉