Graphic courtesy Corrina Riess and Hannah McGee.

CHELSEA GROVES | STAFF REPORTER | cmgroves@butler.edu

To my dearest woman in her early 20s,

The young girl inside of you is your core. Her fierce, yet softhearted mystique unfailingly enlightens her outward manner. She is in awe of the presence of the admirable young woman that she is becoming.

The young girl is still holding on to the young woman’s hand, and the two of them are about to strategize a game plan as to where to go from here. It is not because the girl wants to let go of the young woman’s hand; it is because the girl believes it is time to give her youthful, mature sparkle to the older version of herself entirely.

As women in our early 20s, we strive to connect with the present. Clarity with a glimmer of hope during our everyday endeavors is the ultimate benchmark. It isn’t always easy to maintain a forward-thinking mindset while staying in the moment, but every day becomes more digestible. Our own version of a Cinderella story is already in the making.

It is breathtaking to reflect on how we all had a path in line for us before we stepped foot on this earth. We are lucky to have the ability to be in a position to make confident decisions for ourselves. At the end of the day, the young girl inside of you helped shape you in order to attain these skills.

Appreciating individuality comes with practice. We all complement one another without even realizing it. Balancing perspective and emotions can be a challenge, and it is important to take things for what they are during this period of time. As a young woman in your early 20s, valuing the doors that have already been opened could potentially be the foundation for your future milestones.

With love and gratitude,

Chelsea