Dear 13-Year-Old Me

我知道去这个人人都认识你妹妹却没人认识你的新学校很可怕. 所以这里有一些关于你作为一个“终身职业者”需要知道的事情的提示.” Yes, a lifer, someone who goes to Stanstead for six whole years. Yes, you WILL keep coming back.

 

首先，你会遇到一些不可思议的人，他们将成为你的第二个和第三个家庭. You will have amazing coaches and mentors. 你很快就会意识到他们是谁，所以珍惜和他们在一起的每一刻. They will guide and shape the person who you will be in six years.

 

你会发现除了游泳还有其他运动，除了小提琴还有其他乐器. 坚持下去，花更多的时间在音乐和橄榄球上，因为它们会帮你度过难关. Just watch out for the Cavanaughs... You’ll get what I mean.

 

很快你就会遇到一辈子的朋友，他们总是为你着想. 很快你就会意识到有时候别人的意图并不总是最好的. Don't be naïve; choose right. 相信自己的直觉.

 

You will have MANY roommates starting with the best one, who will soon live in your basement, and then meeting your soulmate in Australia. Others in between will just be part of the experience. And you’ll do a full circle by ending with who you started with.

 

我想说的是远离戏剧，但你会发现这是不可能的. So I will just say to stay true to yourself. You don’t owe anyone an explanation even if you’re with them 24/7. It is your life so own it and have fun. After all, it’s just high school. Be smart and remember… bending the rules is not breaking them.

 

年复一年，你会听到同样的冠冕堂皇的演讲，讲述斯坦斯特德对那个人意味着什么，以及它如何改变了他们. But as years go by, you will realize that it is impossible to explain that, as it is constantly changing. Some years will be good, some others will be bad. 事实上, 你将有两年的艰难时光，在这两年里，你将成为生活的小白鼠，就像你在七年级历史课上一样. 这将是非常困难的，但不要放弃，你会得到支持，你会度过难关的. 我保证.

 

Later on, the world will crash… not metaphorically but literally. You will find out what COVID is… I will not spoil it, you have to go through it just the way you will, but just remember that word and find a comfortable mask, 你会需要它的.

 

你会创造出成千上万的回忆，让你爱上这个地方，让你想年复一年地回来. 你也会发现很多缺点和不好的事情，这会让你质疑自己的决定.

 

You will learn that life is not always fair. 你不会总是得到你想要的或应得的，有些人的解释对你来说永远没有意义. But guess what, it will only make you stronger.

 

In the end, Stanstead College will become part of who you are. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse, but it is an experience that you will never forget. Trust and be there for yourself. 你以玛莉索妹妹的身份入场但离开时，你会留下自己的遗产.

 

Last piece of advice is: don't take Physics in Grade 12.

 

And good luck, 你会需要它的.