A letter to my 31 years old self

Dear 31 years old me,

Today is Wednesday, March 24th 20201. I am writing to you to remind you of who you used to be, what
you were going through at the time and hopefully help you see what you have or have not achieved.

I want to start out by saying I hope that you are still alive and healthy both physically and mentally.
Firstly, I shall briefly summarize what I - 21 years old you - are going through. We are in the second
semester of the third year in University. Deadlines and assignments are piling on and closing in making
us feel stressed and worried. Our parents and family members are doing fine and are happy. My
“realistic” plan for the future is to pursuit interpretation and become a professional interpreter. I am
also considering studying to get an MA degree because why not.

In the second part of the letter, I would like to help you see what you have or have not achieved. Even
though I said that I wanted to become a professional interpreter but that goal is still very far from my
reach. In order to become an interpreter, I must first acquire the necessary skills and knowledge which is
what I am doing currently. Secondly, the interpreting job market is extremely competitive which is why
in order to be successful in this field, I must know how to advertise myself. In the current age where
technological advancements are developing faster than ever, self-advertisement is extremely important.
I must learn how to “sell” myself to the world so that I can have more job opportunities and become
successful in not just interpreting but anything that I do. I must create a profile of myself which not only
shows my skills and strengths but also captivates people into choosing me to do their work. In the past I
used to be very shy, but now I would have to be more energetic and enthusiastic in order to distinguish
myself from other people. Furthermore, I would need to take every chance I can get my hands on
because you can never let the chances come to you but you rather have to come to them yourself. I
hope that these words can help you in your journey of becoming an interpreter.

Those are a few words that I would like to write to you. I do not know what future is waiting for me but I
hope it is one that I am happy about. If you are reading this in the future, please kindly write me back so
that I know what the future holds for me. I wish success, health and hope that you are happy with your
life decisions.

Sincerely,

Duy.