This post is part of a campaign with Tiny Prints and LooksiSquare. All opinions are entirely my own.
One of my last AP English assignments my senior year in high school was to write a letter to myself. When Mrs. Horn told us about this assignment, my friends and I didn’t really think very much about it. I wrote my letter and put it in an envelope addressed to myself at my then current address. My letter was three pages long and I included a photo. Mrs. Horn collected all the letters and she said she would mail them to us in four years. I completely forgot about it. Four years later, the letter arrived at my parents’ house. My parents were curious because the letter was addressed in my handwriting, the return address was one they didn’t know and I had written PRIVATE on the bottom corner of the envelope.
The moment I saw the envelope, I knew what was inside but I had forgotten what I had written. I tore open the envelope and read my letter. My letter was full of current 1994 news about my family and friends. I had written about my unease about going out of state for college and my expectations for the future. I enjoyed reading the letter because it showed me how far I had come in life. I still have my letter. The letter and original envelope are pictured in the photo at the top of this post. It is stored with my high school memories and I get it out and read it every few years. I am always pleasantly surprised to find that with the exception of how I make my exclamation marks, my handwriting is the same as it was in high school!
My tip for all the high school and college graduates is to sit down and hand write yourself a letter. Have someone hold onto it and mail or give the letter to you 4 years later. Here are a few suggestions of topics to include:
- current status of family members and friends
- goals for the next few years
- expectations for the near future
- feelings about where you are currently in life
- gadgets or technology that you can’t live without
- what you will miss most about your current life
- who you think you will remain friends with through the years
- career goals
- predictions about where you want to live
- a bucket list
On the topic of graduation, graduation announcements and invitations have come a long way since I graduated 21 years ago. In 1994, there was one style of graduation announcement. Everyone at the school ordered the same announcement from the same company. The only personalization was a small rectangular piece of paper with my name on it inserted inside. Fast forward to the present when there are so many styles and options to choose from!
I was amazed at the quality of the graduation announcements and party invitations that I received from Tiny Prints. The quality shows in the attention to details like clean designs, paper weight, matching lined envelopes and the foil stamping.
I love the look of these foil stamped Fantastic Graduate announcements with scallop trim. The ensemble of the foil stamped year and floral border go beautifully with the matching lined envelope. The 7×5 letterpress Stylish Student party invitations have a geometric pattern. Using a photo collage instead of just one photo on the invitation shows more of a graduate’s personality. The unique ticket shape gives the feel of an invitation to an exclusive event. Ticket required!
For someone who may be a little camera shy, there are the foil stamped 5×7 Elegant Academia party invitations that don’t require a photo.
I’ve saved my favorite product for last. The foil stamped Gleaming Success announcements are simply beautiful. The focus of the design is on the graduate and the foil stamping provides just enough frill. I’m also in love with the lined envelope.
For another letterpress announcement option, check out the 5×7 Pristine Lines announcement.
Order an extra announcement or invitation so you can tuck the letter to yourself inside to read a few years down the road! I turn 40 next year and I plan to write myself a letter then too. I want to be able to look back and remember what it felt like to be me in my own words.
That is a really sweet idea Kelly!
Thank you Malia. Now I wish I had written a letter to myself after my college graduation too! I wasn’t a big memory keeper back then so I don’t have a lot of pictures from that time.
Hey Kelly! Just happened to stumble upon your blog and really enjoyed scrolling through and reading your posts, looking forward to the next!
XO JNESS
http://jenessasheffield.com/
Thank you Jenessa! I’m glad you stumbled upon my blog.
This is such a great idea. They won’t realize how happy it will make them until they open it up ! ๐
Thank you Kat! As a scrapbooker I love looking back through the years and this is another great way to do that.
We did something similar when I was in high school. I still have the letter somewhere!
I wish we had these options for amazing graduation cards back then! LOVE these!
Thank you Michele! Invitations and party invitations have come a long way in 20 years. I couldn’t imagine printing invitations on the dot matrix printer I used back then.
What a fun idea! And yes, invitations has come a long way. Great Tiny Prints invitations you showcased!
Thank you Laurie. I can’t wait to see what invitations will be like when my kids graduate high school.
We did letters at my school too! It’s such a neat thing to receive and look back on! When I taught 8th grade, I had my students do something similar at the end of the year and I mailed them when they graduated. I love this idea, and those announcements are super-gorgeous! #client
Thank you Amy. One of my 8th grade teachers had me write a letter to myself too. He mailed it to me 2 years later. I still have that one as well and the difference between the two letters is astounding. What a difference 4 years makes.
Wow what a great teacher. I would love to reflect back to my high school days I was such a different person back then. I have definitely changed for the better ๐ Love that you are working with tiny prints they have some great products I have order shower invitations from them before.
I had never ordered anything from Tiny Prints before but the cards were great. The foil stamping is really amazing. Wish they had cards like this when I was graduating back in the dark ages. ๐
What a great idea your teacher had. I wish I had done that back in 1973! I know how much you must have enjoyed reading it. You have beautiful handwriting, by the way!
Thank you Lisa. I think I am going to have my kids write themselves a letter every time they change to a different school. Emotions always run high at a time like that so there might be a little more insight at those times. I’ll probably just put those letters in their school scrapbooks.