Hi there 10 year-old Yugi!
When you read this letter, you are probably still in the United States, living at Bethesda, MD, on Granby St. You are probably busy playing Pokemon Emerald on your GBA, playing Runescape on the computer, or biking around the neighborhood. Your best friends are Aidan, Gabe, and Tim. You are still in Pyle Middle School. You still have Ba Nung and go to the Indonesian Embassy a lot. You are still playing clarinet and doing taekwondo, things that you will wish you kept up doing. You still have a good choir voice :)
I'm still 18 now, so I'm can't say I've experienced much of adulthood yet. I'll probably write back to myself again once I've gotten married or something hahaha. However, there are a lot of things I can tell you about being a teenager in Indonesia. I wouldn't like myself to spoil the surprises of the future, so I'll keep the specifics vague.
Obviously, you should know that next year you'll come back to Indonesia, move to a new school, and meet new friends. Let me give you some pro tips about your first years in your new school.
First of all, don't be so shy! Don't be afraid to speak up! Keep being nice to people and keep smiling, but don't forget to back those up with friendly words. Especially to your classmates and future classmates, try especially hard to get along with them! I can tell you that none of them will be scary and unapproachable. When you see people you know down the hallway, don't hesitate to greet them! This will make a big difference to how well people remember you after you graduate.
Second of all, don't play so many games! Prioritize on building your skills and doing well in school! Looking back, I've had fond memories of the video games that had dominated my teenage years over different period of time, and I can say that I learned some pretty cool things and had fun experiences for sure. However, looking back, with that time I spent on playing those video games, I could have had a summa cum laude, been a pro saxophone player and singer, and been a lot better in sports by the time I graduated. And that's just the beginning. I would rather have all those things than had fun playing video games. Just remember your potential, dear younger self. Just saying, those skills will make you have more friends than the internet friends that you won't even talk to anymore.
Third, don't be so stupid and dramatic when it comes to crushes and love. This will come a lot later in your teenage years, but it will be pretty significant. School is a time for building up yourself and making lasting friendships, so don't put so much of your mind on your crushes. I can tell you that by doing so you are actually lowering your chances of actually being together, since you will be so awkward when you meet your crush after thinking so much about her. Just...stay cool, okay? :)
I think I've covered pretty much all that's been bothering me about my teenage years, so you better do better than me! Other than these things, I think I did pretty well, although you could always improve on me. Anyways, keep up your thirst for knowledge and don't be afraid to learn new things! I wish I could give out the answers to all of the problems you will face, but that would be cheating ;) Always remember that God is in control of your future.
Sincerely,
18 year-old Yugoviandi Mamahit
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