Blast from the past

What follows is a letter I wrote to myself back in 2002. It was an assignment for my biology class and, shockingly, it actually found its way back to me five years later.

Enjoy.

Dear Future Self,

It's the sophomore year of high school and there's not a whole lot to say. I'm hoping you remember your old computer and the sleepless nights of Counter-Strike and the sorts. Hah! No, really, you were this smart when you were in high school..

Speaking of smart, I hope I (you) got into a good college. MIT? We can only hope. What I really hope is that I (we, whatever) won that darn vala-whatever award. If you did, then I knew we could do it! Otherwise... shame!

Hope you grew a beard and ditched the contacts. It'll be the college look that drives the ladies wild! Speaking of ladies... heh heh. Hope I end up with one of the ones I was attempting earlier this year. Yeah. I would just love if you called one of them up sometime (if you're not already "occupied"). Hopefully you're not as dirty as I am. And a ton smarter.

Let's hope this letter reaches the future genius I know I am. Particle physics forever! It's all theory...

Cheers,
Kyle Barnhart
Former Self

It's not just sort of weird to look back on that letter-- it's downright fucked up. When people say they were "different people" back in high school, they're probably using gross hyperbole compared to me. My brain straight-up lived in a different world back then. Like, I don't know what kind of kid would honestly want to go to MIT when Rice is closer, cheaper, and obviously more fun.

Then again, I WAS a sophomore in high school when I wrote this.

This letter also reminded me of the full-circle nature of my academic interests. Back then I was into "particle physics" simply because that's what Gordon Freeman from the video game Half-Life was into, and I thought it sounded cool. Then I drifted towards computer science and engineering during the later years of high school and early college. I even thought I was going to be a mechanical engineer at one point. But now I'm back to electrical engineering and quantum electronics which isn't a far cry from particle physics at all.

FAR OUT, MAN.

I'm not even going to comment on how inept I was when it came to girls. I think I still believed in cooties at that point. At least I can stand proudly with my hands fixed to my hip and laugh like a pirate about it now. Because I totally understand women these days.

*chirp, chirp*

HAVE THAT CRICKET MURDERED IN MY SLAUGHTERTORIUM.