Dear Toin-toin,

By now you’re entering a new phase of your life. You’re going to enter the life of a private boarding school; and you’re going to meet a whole damn lot of new people. Some of it might not be to your liking, but no worry, as a lone wolf all the time, you won’t be bothered much anyway.

But know this – it will be much of a difference for another year.

Here’s where you know what challenges are. How human can be really ugly when they’re desperate to win. How to control your jealousy towards those people who always got an A everytime there’s a test.

And here’s where you will know girls.

Where you will feel like having a sister. How you will learn all the cheesy word, and you will know how to make girls in comfort. Trust your instinct. It felt like a sister, because yes, that’s all that she deserved. In the end, you will not want her to be yours. She’s just not for you; not your type. You will find one that will be yours, a year later.

Don’t worry though, you will not hurt her. She’ll stay as one of the people where you can talk freely, until she’s married.

In this age, you will also face the dilemma of career. I can’t help you on that; but I wish you can make your decision firmly, instead of grabbing whatever that you can. Study hard, boy, for you will be rewarded later on.

Focus on what you like to do, and do not care too much about fitting in. If you’re too busy trying to fit into the crowd, you’ll be nothing. It takes time to fit into the crowd, and by the time you do, its already the end of the year.

I wish you’re more mature, but no. I think time will play its role and changed you bit by bit to be more mature. Just be yourself.

Yours sincerely,

You – about 10 years later..