· I do not want you to embark upon the road that I have taken even though it may seem like that initially. I may tell you this jokingly, but I do believe that you will surpass whatever trail I’ve set. You will get higher grades, be a better friend and be even more successful than I was in college.

· Choose your friends wisely. They will define who you are. But don’t be judgmental; be open to everyone because everyone you meet along the way will have a story to share and a lesson for you to learn. Don’t put up walls the way I did, people aren’t out to get you.

· Also remember, that just like you, everyone else is human. They make mistakes, the ones you trust and love most will do something that will break your spirit and your belief in human kind, but don’t fret, be quick to forgive. This is a lesson I’ve learned late in life, I hope you don’t commit the same mistake. Allow people to make mistakes, give them room to grow, but at the same time, be wise enough to know which ones are fooling you and which ones are sincere. It’s tricky, but you’ll learn it soon enough.

· You will earn enemies, but you will earn more friends. You’ll fall in love, get rejected but that’s okay because at one point, you will do the rejecting as well.

· You will be the best, only if you allow yourself to be.

· Don’t be afraid and most importantly, don’t let anybody else’s fear catch up with you. Probably, they couldn’t do it before, maybe something has stopped them from doing so, but their mistakes doesn’t define you or what greatness you are about to embark on. Instead, learn from them. Like a play in basketball, analyze their strategy and see where they went wrong and from there, don’t follow the same suit.

· In line with this, listen to your heart and listen to what it wants to do. This is not so difficult brother because it rings true, whatever it is that gives you the most fulfillment, whatever leaves you smiling before you close your eyes at night, that is what your life’s calling is. It may not be an easy road and you may be forced to do something that you don’t want to do at the beginning, but stay focused. You’ll get there, in time.

· Don’t stop dreaming. Don’t let little failures and heartaches stop you from dreaming. Don’t let anyone tell you that you don’t deserve something or something is too absurd to come true.

· Believe me brother, everything and I do mean everything is within your reach. Work hard. Work very hard and don’t accept failure as the dead end.

· Don’t be stubborn, there’s always room to grow. Listen to people. Don’t be too defensive. When people criticize something that you’ve done, whether done constructively or harshly, always understand that there’s a good in that. Don’t retreat to anger, learn what you could and move on. No use in punching that person’s face out, simply learn.

· Learn to forgive our parents. As you step into a different realm of reality, you will realize that our parents aren’t superheroes and most of the time, we end up saving them instead of them saving us. The cycle will turn around as you get older, so you have to be strong enough to deal with this kind of reality. They make mistakes, they commit errors, as reality bursts your bubble you will realize that they can’t protect you from every rejection, every heartache and every witch you come across. But you’d have them to hug you, cry with you and give you that extra pinch of cash (I’m just saying!) when you need the most. Argue with them, but understand that at your age, they do know what’s best.

· Fall in love, at the right time. If they break your heart once, most likely they will do it again so make sure that the person you choose is worth. However, trust me when I say that college is not the best time for you to fall crazy in love, because falling crazy in love, no matter how carefree it may seem to be, has its consequences and has a certain responsibility attached to it, so no, not yet.

· Stomp on conformity. Nothing tastes as bad as being like everyone else. So don’t even think about it!

· When you drink, make sure you have well-meaning friends around you, but I do hope that you rise above the norm, above the standard. A man with dignity is a man that any girl would marry so no to drugs and everything else. It’s all about the hype.

· Never stop dreaming. It’s the only thing that keeps you sane, and you know, dreams do come true, at the right time, at the right place and yes, with the right person.

· Find your faith. Again, don’t follow what I do or what everyone else is doing. Find your own relationship with the Lord, cultivate it and don’t be afraid to share it to the world.

· You’ll do great in college brother. You were born to change the world, not conform to it. I LOVE YOU!