The Grad-School Exam Year: Write to the You Who Made It Through
Preparing for the graduate entrance exam is a different kind of hard. In high school, the whole class suffered together; this time it's usually just you — claiming the same library seat at dawn, reciting until closing time, wondering at midnight whether any of it is worth it. From summer through December, exam takers come here to write: to the self who'll see the scores in February, to the self walking out of the final interview, or — for those on their second or third attempt — to a self they simply hope is doing okay, whatever happened. One line shows up in these letters again and again: "I don't know if I'll make it, but I want future-me to remember that I really tried." If you're deep in prep right now, or just walked out of the exam hall, write this moment down. The letters below come from people who walked the same road and chose to share. Read a few, then write yours — the you who already knows the result will be grateful to the you who didn't quit.
How to write this letter
- Record where you are right now: which chapter you're on, how many practice sets you've done, what time you got up today. Those numbers become the most solid keepsake.
- Say something to the you who didn't pass, too. What should that person do next? A backup plan written in advance is the kindest safety net.
- Write down why you chose this school and this field. Whether or not you end up there, that reason deserves to be remembered.
- Schedule delivery for results day or the first day of grad school — one more reason to see this through.
Real letters from the vault
421 public letters你
希望不如以往你已经不再是以前的你了一定进步许多不在害怕中考加油你可以圆梦
n3875
2018.12.21
12月后的自己
嗨～12月的自己～现在的我应该考完研了 希望能得偿所愿吧
n3085
2018.04.26
写给未来的自己
要准备心理咨询师考试咯希望你已经做好了万全的准备为了未来的自己加油！
家妹
2017.07.07
写给正在复习的湉湉
要期中考了哟~一定在认真复习对吧~坚持就是胜利！为自己的章章们前进！
n107
2013.10.20
写给未来的我们，新华
希望在六个月之后我们一起考上同一所大学的研究生，然后一起生活一辈子
一抹风度020
2020.07.25
写给50天后的自己
保持平和心态，努力备考，保持体型和健康，对家人和球球、小馒头更好。
n3570
2018.10.23
写给两年后的自己
2013年的我决定考研，不为其他，只为再次证明自己，我还可以战斗！
梁茂麒
2013.04.26
三个月后的自己
三个月后，首先希望自己已经攻克化学高数，，能轻松应对，太折磨人了
n5229
2020.09.24
。
起床了没，今天我的考试觉得还ok呀 你是不是要和谢出去玩1
ahhhh1
2021.01.27
不会后悔
川大研究生雅思考试做20个项目喂好Coco照顾好它对小凤好
爱吐血的花栗鼠
2019.01.22
寄未来
四级/数学/计算机二级/教资考上了没？没考上锤爆张睿康。
锦衣缇骑在镇江
2019.11.09
写给100天以后的琳琳
还在努力准备考研吗？不要放弃喔，要继续加油！看好你！
n4020
2019.02.16
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I write it, and when should it arrive?
Most people write mid-prep or right after the written exam, and schedule delivery for results day (late February) or the start of grad school (September). Even in the busiest stretch, a letter only takes fifteen minutes.
What if I don't pass — won't the letter hurt to read?
Repeat test-takers often say the opposite: seeing how hard past-you fought brings closure, not pain. You can also write a few lines specifically for the you who didn't make it — comfort only present-you can give.
Isn't writing a letter a distraction from studying?
Treat it as a check-in with yourself: put your goal, your progress, and your fears on paper, and most people come away steadier. Delivery within a year is completely free.
The Grad-School Exam Year: Write to the You Who Made It Through
Write yours