Introduction.
In this very personal activity, students have the chance to write a letter to their future self, to open either at the end of the school year or at the end of high school/middle school or later in life.
Correction: I discovered the previous service I used here charged 1 dollar to send the email. This service is for free. Email your future self.
Memories can be funny things. A lot of the time, if we recall our favourite memories, the scenes come through quite cloudy. We remember the big things, the main details. It’s generally the feeling of the memory that is the strongest element.
Remind yourself what’s important.
Important: Tell the students that they are the only person who will ever read their letter
(unless they choose to share it with others). This means that they can write in any language, do a great job or not such a great job – because they are the only ones who will
ever know.
Consider a variety of prompts to get students started. In each one, encourage students to think of themselves not just as students but as human beings: sisters, brothers, friends, sons or daughters, creatives, athletes, leaders, etc.
- What is one thing you’d like to accomplish this year or in 3 years?
- Describe how you feel right now and what you enjoy doing.
- Where do you see yourself as a student in 1 or 3 or 6 years’ length of time?
- What are you most proud of in your life so far? What do you want to be proud of in one year?
- Describe something you are struggling with right now, and describe what it might look like to have overcome it.
- Write a letter to give your future self some encouragement and love!
- How have you changed over the past few years, and how do you hope to change over the next few?
Use the service Email your future self. Every student needs a personal email account to do this.
Watch the videos below for inspiration and read this article in The Guardian about 31-year-old Wilfred Chan and how he has used this service since he was 17.
I recently had the pleasure of using emailyourfutureself.com, and I can’t express enough how transformative the experience was for me. I wrote about my hopes and dreams for the next five years, detailing my personal and professional aspirations, as well as the challenges I anticipate facing along the way. When I received my email, it felt like a time capsule had arrived from my future. I was flooded with nostalgia and excitement, revisiting the thoughts and aspirations of my past self. It was both enlightening and motivating to reflect on how far I’ve come, and it reignited my determination to pursue my goals. What I truly appreciate about emailyourfutureself.com is the unique opportunity it provides to connect with our future selves. The platform is intuitive, allowing for easy customization of messages and delivery dates. It serves as a gentle reminder of our aspirations and the passage of time, provoking reflection and encouraging growth.
