A letter from Feb 26, 2025

Dear Future Nick, You have always had trouble believing that redemption is possible, but now you understand that it is not something granted freely; it must be earned, often through hard-fought battles against yourself. Your journey back to the University of Dayton is a testament to that reality. You wanted to be a Flyer: you worked for it, fought for it, and nearly lost it all, twice now. The mistakes you made could, and frankly should have, cost you the very thing you value most: your future. If you allow yourself to repeat those mistakes, there will be no second chance. That understanding alone shapes your every decision now. At the heart of your ambition, and ability to navigate hardship is your family; you were raised on commitment to those family values, and in the end, they are what have kept you grounded even in your most difficult moments. They have given you the strength to keep pushing forward, and one day, you want to build a family of your own—one that reflects the love and support you were fortunate enough to receive. Marriage is not just a life milestone to you; it is a foundation upon which you want to build something enduring. You want to marry a woman you love, someone who shares in your values, who understands that true commitment means perseverance through both joy and adversity. In the end, no matter what you achieve professionally, your greatest measure of success will be the life you build with your family. However, none of that will be possible if you do not stay true to the commitment you have made to yourself: to remain sober. You have seen firsthand how alcohol strips you of your best qualities, how it threatens to undo the progress you have fought to make. You do not intend to let it win. Sobriety is not just a necessity—it is the only way forward. If you are to be the person you aspire to be, if you are to honor the values that have shaped you, you must remain in control of yourself. There is no future worth having if you sacrifice your integrity for fleeting indulgence. You want to be a better person, not just in words you've learned are hollow, but in actual action. You have a clear understanding of the individual you wish to become, and you refuse to allow your past to dictate your future. You know your strengths; you are intelligent, driven, and deeply committed to understanding the complexities of the world. Your academic pursuits, passion for global affairs, and ability to analyze international relations with depth and nuance have all led you to a singular career goal: to work in government, ideally within the State Department. You recognize that intelligence alone is not enough. Proper action, discipline, and an unwavering commitment to excellence will be required if you are to succeed. You are prepared for that challenge, and you embrace it fully. Your past does not define you, but the lessons you have learned from it do. You have been given an opportunity to reclaim the future you nearly lost, and you will not waste it. The road ahead will not be easy, but nothing worth having ever is. What matters is that you continue forward, unwavering in your pursuit of the life you know you are capable of building. And you will. Furthermore, you have begun to reflect on the significance of your journey in a much deeper way. The setbacks, the moments of doubt, and the internal conflicts have all played their part in shaping your determination. Every challenge faced has been a lesson in resilience, a test of character, and an opportunity to reaffirm your values. You now understand that success is not merely about avoiding failure but about how you respond to it. In that response lies your true strength. Your ambitions are clear, and you refuse to let distractions or setbacks deter you from the path you have set for yourself. The temptation to revert to old habits will always exist, as your very much aware from the recent past, but your commitment to yourself and your future must be stronger. Every day presents a choice—to move forward with purpose or to falter under the weight of the past and the shame you carry with it. As Dad always brings up, you must choose to go forward, you must choose to grow. But remember, you choose to be the best version of yourself, not just for them, the people who believe in you most, but for the future you want to create, and for the impact you know you can make in the world. As you continue this journey, you remind yourself that success is built on consistency, discipline, and perseverance. The path may not always be straightforward, and there may be moments of doubt, but you have already proven to yourself that you are capable of overcoming adversity. This is your time to solidify the person you have always envisioned yourself becoming. The time for shame and self-pity has passed: it has gotten you nowhere and will continue to do so. Now is the time to act, to build, to create, and to succeed. Your journey is far from over, but you are on the right path; and as long as you continue forward with the same determination that has brought you here, there is nothing you cannot accomplish, but you know the discipline you need to keep to get there.