A letter from May 6th, 2021

Dear 2026 Ashlyn, Wow okay 2026 is a weird year to type out. Okay so setting the scene, it is 2:40am on Thursday, May 6, 2021. I take my very last final as an undergrad student tmrw (business french) and then I graduate on Saturday. Also, I turn 21 in one month. And then a few weeks later, I move to Chicago. And then I start law school. These are all things I'm looking forward to in life rn. So now my current social/love life situation. Okay so today I submitted my senior capstone paper and tonight I hung out w the besties - Alexis, Alli, and McGwire. I really hope I'm still close with alexis and at least keep in touch w Alli and McGwire. We smoked some and had a bit of an edible because neither of us had any practically weed left so we had to ration the 1/4 joint and 4/3 10mg edible. It was a good night. Though I wish Dakota was there. Dakota is my current love interest. We met at a Chili's four months ago. He was my server. That's embarassing. I never thought things would be this way with him. But I love him and he says he loves me. When we're together it's amazing - I love our dynamic and energy. Though historically, Dakota is not what my '"type" would be (aka experience of last 3-5 love interests), he is exactly what I need right now and maybe what my new "type" should be lol (reference to Prototype by Outkast). Side note: One thing I really love about Dakota is that we have the very similar/compatable music and generally artistic taste. I have started liking a lot of artists/creators because of him (Freddie Gibbs, Madlib, Gil-Scott, Bloodbath podcast, Duncan Trussel Family Hour, and Midnight Gospel to name a few. I've really like who I've become over these past few years in collge. Also, want to note I am currently cuddling with Terra, she is currently 2.5 years old and the best daughter; I love her dearly. Alright, now to future me. I was talking to Alli tonight about how time is passing so quickly now. It seems like freshman year of college was just yesterday. Crazy to think that I will (hopefully) be reading this in 5 years and things will be normal; it will just be another day in my life. I hope I followed through w law school abd graduated. I think that is what I want to do even if its hard. Though sometimes I feel very pessimestic towards the future of our world, I am still passionate about law and attempting to make a change nonetheless. And I hope this is still true in 2026. I also hope that I have found and am pursuing a creative passion of mine. I think a key for me is having balance between work which I deem beneficial to society and art that pleases me. Also crazy to think that conceivably, I could be engaged, married, or even have a kid or expecting one by now. I wonder so much about what my future life will be like. Though not as much as I used to. It's a good thing really. I am able to enjoy the present, and its mundane and typical seeming moments. I hope I can do this even better when I am 25, about to be 26. Whatever is happening in your life rn, I hope you are satisified with who you are as a person and how you impact those around you. Okay now random lists for reflective and nostalgic purposes. Music: loving 60s soul music (Gil-Scott), 80s pop (David Bowie), Taylor Swift obviously, Harry Styles, and Grimes Close friends: Alexis Floyd, Emily Chavez, Rachel Clark, Alli Hunt, Dakota Norman, McGwire Lindquist, Jon Cooper, Louis Bentley, Evan Barton, Bryce Anderson, and all the HS homies Interests: Stoner phase, kinda into shows/musicals rn bc of Dakota, want to start riding my bike or running more, painting, also want to start a podcast Okay idk why I wrote that last part like I'm going to have a Alzheimer's in 5 years but I think it could be cute if I did this every 5 years and printed/saved them and put them in a scapbook or something to have when I'm older and to show my kids. Idk I've been feeling very sentimental, nostalgic, and appreciative towards life recently and I want to document these moments so I can look back later to remember. Thank you to Gram for scrapbooking my entire life thus far, you have inspired me to continue doing it though a bit less traditional as it will contain very real, honest, and even boring life situations. Well, that was super fun. Crazy how I won't see this message ever again until 5 years from now. Excited to meet you 2026 Ashlyn, Continue growing and making memories. -2021 Ashlyn