A letter to myself.

Tiago Noce

Dear Tiago,

You have just arrived at your apartment in Florence, Italy. Your roommates are already there and you have the opportunity to experience a wonderful first instant of total independence.

I hope you are ready for the best and the worst moments with LIU Global so far. Overall,I have five things to tell you:

1) Have courage! I know it’s hard and most time we don’t say what we truly want to say because we think it’s going to hurt someone, but try to be more open. Have the courage to stand for yourself and to engage more with your opinions and debates. Have the courage total to the person that you always wanted, or go to places that you want, above all have the courage to be yourself. Have the courage to let people into life.

2) I know that you are thinking about your money and how you will organize that part, but know that it is okay to spend a little more money to live a new adventure or to experience something completely new. Money is important but you are in Italy, and LIU Global, to experience as much as you can.

3) Take it easy! Most of the time we worry about things that are not really under our control. You don’t need to be serious or formal all the time, show people that you know how to smile too! Don’t let minor things ruin your day. Above all don’t discount your stress and bad humor on others, they have nothing to do it with it.

4) Take more time to contact your family. Don’t forget to call more your family, especially your sister and grandma. They miss you the same way you miss them.Call them and let them know more about how your life is going, what you are experience, and what you think about things.

5)Respect your limits. Your body has a physical and mental limit. Know when its time to take a break and when its time to spend some time by yourself. Also,don’t think that your body handles traveling all weekend, taking your time to rest. Part of being in the country is knowing the city that you are living in, so go explore Florence and talk to locals as much as you can.

Although everything is good, and every day seems perfect, things are about to change a lot and fast pretty soon. When the chaos and the virus arrive, have the patience to analyze the situation in the correct way, use your critical thinking to know which debate you will participate and which you will pass. In addition, remember to always remove yourself from situations that you think your mental health is at risk, even that include missing an important school meeting.

When the time comes for you to leave, don’t think of it as a “Goodbye, Italy”, think of it as a

“See you soon, Italy”. In a nutshell, be more open to the world and to yourself.