This evening I was sorting through the mass of papers and folders that I have accumulated over the years and stumbled upon a gem from the past. When I was thirteen, my new form tutor asked our class to write a short piece on where we saw ourselves in ten years time. Although it is not quite ten years later, here is what I wrote, transcribed verbatim:
Where I see myself in 10 years
In ten years I will be 23 and if I am not still at university I will have a job. I would like to have a job involved with IT at one point as I am fascinated by “concept PCs,” notebook and palmtop computers. I think that the idea of a tablet pc is great, as it is us like a large palmtop and uses a similar operating system, a kind of adapted Pocket PC format. The evolution of all technology is great as by the time I am an adult IT will be even more influential then it is today. I aim to do well in all my major tests including my upcoming SATs, GCSEs and A-Levels. Also I hope to gain a BA at university.
I would also like to be involved drama/theatre as this is one of my favourite hobbies. Reading and writing also play a big role in my life so I feel my love of literature will affect my decisions in the future. At present I have almost know idea what I want to do with my life, but I am not too worried as I know that my generation with be subject to a range of radical changes and opportunities by the time we leave. I will definitely invest in a laptop or desktop computer and I intent to look deeper into Broadband Internet (preferably ADSL.) I also think that the DVD is one of greatest inventions of the late 20th century/ early 21st and will get a DVD player and writer combo when the technology has improved.
I will probably travel at some point, focusing on the USA or Mediterranean as I have not visited either. I will have learnt to drive as it is almost essential and I hate waiting for buses. Also I would love to try all sorts of different cuisines beyond Indian, Chinese, American, Mexican and Thai. I love cooking so I will definitely experiment with meals when I am older, and I will have a modern kitchen with all the works.
In my GCSEs I know that I will most likely pick French as my modern language and I hope that I will continue learning it as an adult. Also, IT will definitely be one of my choices. I am not sure whether to do Drama A-Level or not but that is a long way ahead. I am most looking being able to buy things with my own money instead of saving my pocket money every week.
Harriett Feenstra
Mr Usher
PSHE
9C
09.10.02
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At 22 and a half I certainly do not want a job in IT, although I must commend my 13 year old self for being so attuned to the future potential of tablet computing (hello iPads). Happily I did do very well in all of my major tests, although SATs don’t exist any more. I got my BA at university, and even went on to get an MA too.
My theatre involvement continued to a minor extent, although these days I tend to sit in the audience rather than on the stage or behind it. My love of literature has absolutely affected my decisions, probably far more than my younger self anticipated. I have owned both a laptop and a desktop, but most of my day to day computing takes place on my phone – funnily enough that’s probably because my laptop is from 2003 and is terrible as a result. I am still a fan of DVDs.
I’ve travelled a little but not enough, although the USA and Mediterranean have both been graced by my presence a couple of times now. I did learn to drive, but haven’t done so in about four years. In light of this I’m a tad more tolerant of waiting for buses these days. No modern kitchen with all the works just yet.
I didn’t do Drama A-Level (or GCSE for that matter); I did English Literature, History and Biology, as well as Chemistry AS. I still look forward to being able to buy things with my own money – I probably have even less now than I did then!
In short, Harriett of roughly nine years ago, I’m still working on some of that stuff, but I hope you’re reasonably pleased with me. Next October I’ll try to remember to write a new version of where I see myself in 10 years, and I hope it makes for an equally amusing read in 2022.
