Dear 4-year-old me,     Here you are 11 years later, advising your younger self of things you will soon discover.  There’s not much so don’t get to excited.     Right now you’re probably dressed up as a princess, dancing to “I’m a Barbie girl,” I still don’t know how you never got sick of that song on repeat. Or maybe playing with your ‘Polly Pockets’ and ‘Bratz’.I know you enjoy wearing all the frills and the flares now, but trust me you will regret it when you look back at the pictures of those horrendous outfits. Oh, and the weird hairstyles, they need to stop as well.    But don’t let me, your older self, spoil your fun.    Enjoy every moment of your trips to Disneyland, because once you get older mum and dad won’t bring you no matter how much you plead but you’ll get to go to America and loads of other places. You'll also get to go on a hockey trip to Belgium wth your hockey club.    In a few years, you’re going to think everything in the shop “Claire’s” is amazing, but take it from me, you will regret all the money you spent there. As boring as it sounds, save your money to spend on better things when you’re older.    In 3^rd class, you’re going to want to cut your hair really short… DON’T DO IT!  I’m just warning you now, you’re going to be getting a hell of a lot more cousins from now on in, and you won’t like them all.    You’re not going to stay friends with everyone as you get older but that’s okay.    You’ll learn how to play the guitar and the ukulele. You’ll try and be good at roller-skating but it won’t work out. Sorry J     Convince Mum and Dad to bring you skiing more often, because you’re going to go on a ski trip in 2^nd year and you’ll love it.    Also, be nicer to your brother because he’s going to get his driver’s license, and you don’t want to give him any reason to not give you lifts places.    These are the things you will discover as you get older. That’s all for now as I don’t want to spoil too much.    Do more interesting things in your life so when you’re in English class writing a letter to your 4-year-old self so you have something to write about because I don’t have much to say to you.                        Love,  Me/you

Dear 4 year old me,

                                  How I would love to be you right now. You’re probably finger painting or playing with your toys. While I’m stuck here, in an English classroom on a cold march morning writing a letter to myself.

Enjoy being a kid while it lasts. You have absolutely no responsibilities, not a care in the world.  Don’t spend every minute of every day wishing you were older, just because Laura does something doesn’t mean you have to do it.  Trust me, being 5 is much better than being 15.

My next point is very important. I know it’s hard to resist but you need to stop stealing Laura’s stuff because she can hold a grudge for a long time. If you want something, just buy your own.

Go outside and play more and stop being so boring. Listen to your mother when she tries to get you to play the piano because I really wish I could play now! Please please please resist the temptation to get a fringe, I assure you it won’t make you look like Tyra banks in 2007.

As you grow up, you will go to lots of fun places. You will go on holidays with your family to many different countries. You will also go on a ski trip to Andorra with the high school in 2nd year and it’ll be great craic (buy the paracetamol for Erica and don’t spend her money on ice tea).you will also get to go to Belgium with your Corinthians hockey team in Easter 2016 so start learning Flemish now! Jk you going to go the French speaking part.

Spend more time with your family and friends and treasure every moment. Enjoy wexford because soon it will be gone and you won be able to go to the beach and the pool whenever you want.

Invent the spice bag before anyone else and you will make yourself millions (salt and chili chicken from the Chinese in a bag with chips, peppers and onion.)

I don’t like writing or English in general so that’s why this letter is so bad. I can’t think of anything else to say. Oh don’t stop competitive swimming because you’ll miss it.

Do more fun things because right now, you’re really boring and imp running out of things to write about.

I don’t want to give much else away so bye for now J

Love, me/you/us. Bye cya, slan, A bientot, ciao

Dear 5 year old self

Dear 5 year old self,

  Hope you’re doing well. 15 year old self here. I am obviously you from the future so I know what will happen to you and stuff like that, so I have some advice (probably bad advice but sure listen) for you.

It’s March 2016 and I (or you I don’t know, it’s confusing) am in 3rd year in the High School in Rathgar. It’s a pretty nice school but it’s really bloody expensive. Secondary school is quite different, there’s around 100 people in my year and I’m in a class of 20. I don’t know which I prefer, they both have their pros and cons. But Eric, just relax. Chill. Don’t worry about small things and just go with the flow. You’re pretty smart so that’s good. You’re weakest subjects will be history and Irish. Make sure to pay attention and study a decent bit of history and to listen more in Irish, it’ll be worth it in the future.

Don’t worry about your first day of school, it’ll be grand. Its junior infants anyway so you basically just play games and fun stuff like that. I don’t remember what happens on your first day but it will be fun I’m sure. Primary school is way easier than secondary anyway and its good craic.

There’s some annoying stuff that adults make you do during your life, especially teachers and your mum and dad, but only listen to them if they actually have reasons to back it up, otherwise, do your own thing.

You will get a unicycle when you’re around 11 and you’ll fall and cut your elbow, but it didn’t hurt so you’re grand. Remember to learn from your mistakes. If you make a mistake, don’t get all bummed about it, just think to yourself ‘I won’t do this again.’  My favourite quote relates really well to this: ‘A man who never made mistakes never made anything.’

Some of my favourite food is chicken, rice, roast potatoes and chocolate (dairy milk.) I play rugby and I do mountain biking with the boys, it’s pretty fun. My favourite movies are interstellar, 12 angry men and the prestige, to name a few.

A Letter To My 4 Year Old Self

10/03/2016

Hey, hello, Hi. It’s me, well you in the year 2016. I am now 14 years old, 15 in May and I am in 3^rd year, the Junior Cert year (but you don’t even know what that is yet, how lucky you are)

You are probably really shy and awkward and nervous, and the good news is you always will be, but you will learn to manage that. You will make friends, (I know, how shocking!) and you will have a great time although you won’t remember anything that happened this year. School is fun, and you will enjoy it so much, but as you get older you might begin to hate school, don’t do that, enjoy

You, for the longest time will feel like you can’t do anything, that you’re not talented, you will see all the other people in your class playing sports or drawing or writing and you will feel left out, but you will find something you’re good a, so get out there, try new  things, cooking, running, ballet, cycling. You will get there eventually.

 And please when your teacher asks you to sing by yourself in your school play in 1^st class do it. It’s incredibly important that you do.

You are going to lose someone you love and care about, and some bad things are going to happen, don’t be afraid to cry, you don’t have to be strong for everybody else. It is okay to talk about it and it’s not your fault.

When you get to 6^th class, and you’re leaving school, and you’re sad because you won’t get to see your friends again, remember people come and go and those that really want to be around you will try stay in contact with you, and sometimes it won’t work out, and sometimes it will, but you will find new friends and you will be fine.

You are going to be short, I know it sucks but there is nothing you can do about it. You are going to feel even shorter when you get to secondary school though. Embrace it, being short is great.

You are going to meet so many new people, who will have different interests to you, I hope you try them. Listen to new music, read new books and different types of books, go to concerts, and go to meet ups, you are going to enjoy it

Trust your instincts. When it comes to people, you have always been really good and reading people and knowing who to stay away from, trust yourself. If you really don’t think something is a good idea don’t do it. No means no, stand up for yourself. If you think you might need something bring it. You are almost always right about these kind of things.

Please, please, please, please, please STUDY. You might think “oh its only first year, and JC is so far away”, but please do it, it will be so helpful when you are in 3^rd year, and I promise you it will make your life easier.

So yeah, I know I didn't actually tell you about anything in the future because then what’s the point in experiencing life if I (you) am just going to tell you (me) everything. But I hope that by reading this that you know that everything will be fine, and that you will have an amazing, wonderful life. So don’t worry, 4 year old me. Try new things, make mistakes and move on. Your only 4, what do you have to lose.

Have Fun, lots of love

                                     Ashley

Dear myself, (I know, confusing right?)

Well, where do I start, I guess you could say I’m a time traveller, like from ‘Back To the Future’, you haven’t seen it yet and you won’t for quite a while but I highly recommend it. I realise that what I’m telling you must be a lot to take in seeing how time-travel is supposed to be impossible and all that but listen, what I’m about to tell you could help a lot in later life so please, trust me. So read carefully with I’m about to tell you.

So as I said I’m from the future, pretty cool right! So seeing as I’m from the future I think I should give you some ‘predictions’ about the future itself. Whether you choose to trust me or not is up to you, but if I were you, which I guess I am, I would trust me. Sadly we don’t have flying cars or a robot servants, sorry to disappoint. We do have electric cars though, so that’s pretty ok I guess. I know you, because you are me remember, and I know that you’re not a betting man but you need to trust me. Put about €10 on Leicester to win the league during the 2015/16 season at 5000/1, crazy I know right. If I could go back I’d put my life savings on them but sadly, I can’t, but you can.

        

If I remember correctly you are slightly nervous to start school, don’t be, and yes other schools won’t know how to pronounce Zion, they’ll say ‘Zeeon’ or even ‘Zon’, it’s annoying but you do get used to it. During school you’ll make friends to last a lifetime and the sport in the school will become one of if not the most important thing of your life and I’d recommend you study a bit more but you and I both know that that won’t happen! If you ever think you get to much homework in Zion, you don’t. So far third year has been a long and tiresome year that seems never ending, and it’s not even sixth year!

        

What else can I help you with? Start hockey at an earlier age than 10 and don’t bother with the rugby, the schools not very good. Thinking back I guess I should warn you about the time I very badly cut my head but I don’t want to give everything away, somethings you just have to find out for yourself.

Life is once off experience (depending on your beliefs), one shot, so make memories to last a lifetime and don’t let people bring you down. Good luck out there kiddo!

         James.

Dear myself,      

First of all… Whats going on lil man.                                      

So, there’s a video on the internet which everyone is going crazy about. The video is called ‘Damn Daniel.’ It’s a kind of stupid video in my opinion but it will make you a LOT of money. You need to get one of your friends to make a compilation of about five short clips where your friend is videoing you walking around and taking pretty long dramatic steps and laughing a little. Your friend will say “Damn Daniel” in a few of the clips and “Back at it again with the white vans” in a kind of skater dude voice. Oh yeah make sure you’re wearing white vans. (Do this around the middle of 2015)

Here are some of the winning lottery draw numbers and their dates

UK National Lottery Results

Saturday 5th March 2016  11 19 29 37 40 41 (47)  £12,335,968

Wednesday 2nd March 2016  04 15 21 26 39 58 (20)   £8,534,850  

Wednesday 6th January 2016  08 30 40 50 54 57 (13) £52,964,701.

Primary school is a blast. Charlie will move school in second class but soon you will start a friendship with a have great fun with. Tennis will be great fun throughout primary school guy named Jack B who you will so keep at it. You will discover that your speed makes you a pretty good rugby player, but you will find that you aren’t as fast as you think you were when you join secondary school. In the first year of secondary school rugby is soooo much fun but in second and third year it isn’t so fun. We get two dogs named Sally and Joey who are really cute. They’re still alive don’t worry haha. You never get suspended or expelled from primary school so don’t worry haha. Mums Mum dies in 2015, tell Majella to go ahead with the holiday because she doesn’t pass away until after that.

Dear Five Year Old Self

      Hi five year old me, I know you’ve probably just started primary school and are starting a new chapter in your life.  I’m going to start this little piece off by giving you a bit of advice for the next few years.  Don’t take primary school for granted, secondary school and college and the rest of your life can wait for a while, primary school is where you really start to understand friendship and how to deal with different situations. The people in primary school are those who will always be there for you whenever you need them the most.

       Different times in your life have good bits and bad bits but in primary school, everything is exactly how it should be, don’t grow up too fast and wish for the next bit in your life. In sixth class you’ll want to leave primary school and grow up into secondary school, but don’t spend all your time thinking and wishing for this.

In first year, take it easy and don’t let exams stress you out too much, they’re only first year exams and don’t matter too much.  Try different activities and sports so that you know exactly what you’re looking for, although, stick with rugby. Don’t do the feis ceol, trust me it will be too hard. For the first couple of weeks you will experience a feeling that you are not quite sure who to make friends with and who to avoid making friends with, just know that you will find who the right people are for you.

       In second year don’t let the ball slip as you will find that you will suddenly be overwhelmed by things you don’t really understand, especially in maths.  If you learn how to do these things and do your maths homework every day you will find maths a lot easier and won’t have to work as hard to make up for what you have lost that year in the next year. Be patient with the high notes on the trumpet as they will come, try and just relax into them and keep doing the lip exercises and warm ups that you are given. Enjoy the rugby cup in third year also because you’ll make some amazing memories that you’ll never forget and it will be the highlight of your life up until now when I’m writing back to you.  Put your head down and work for the Junior Cert because if you don’t you will be disappointed in fourth year with your results, but the most important thing to do is have fun in life and don’t get too stressed out about anything because life is too short.   Have fun and good look!                                                                               Rob 2016