Words written years before graduation day
Write now, during the revision, the doubt, the sleepless nights. The message arrives the day it all pays off.
The message that counts for an exam gets written before the results, not after. A sealed capsül can't change: what you write in November arrives as it is, whatever the outcome. Below, how to write for both outcomes, and three messages that do it.
Before the exams
Write yourself a note at the start of the year. Read it back on results day.
The big day
A message from your parents, delivered the morning of the ceremony.
The teacher who mattered
Thank the one who pushed you, with a few years of hindsight.
Ten years out
Where will you be? Write down your ambitions and check them against reality.
Why write before the results?
Because afterwards, everyone already knows what to say. Congratulations pour in by the dozen on results day, and they all sound the same.
A message written in the middle of the doubt talks about the effort. It doesn't depend on the grade.
Write for both outcomes. One sentence for if it went well, another for if it didn't. They'll take the one that applies, and they'll know you'd thought about the other. That's what gets to people.
Which date should you pick if the ceremony isn't set yet?
One you know for certain, even if it's less symbolic. Graduation ceremonies are often announced late, and a capsül can't be rescheduled.
Aim for results day if the calendar is official. Otherwise, a safe date: their birthday, the first Monday of the holidays.
On timing, the free tier stops at 180 days, enough for an end-of-year exam. A three-year degree needs the pack that covers five years. For writing tips, this guide gives some pointers, and the "Ten years out" idea continues in the future-self letter.
So what do you write to them?
Something that stands up whatever the result. Three messages, three senders.
Chloe, It's November. You've just had a row with your physics teacher over a D on your mock, which you say is "mathematically unfair". I don't know what the envelope says today. If it's good, enjoy it, and remember to thank your physics teacher, even if it hurts. If it isn't, read the start of this message again. In November you were fighting for two marks. You know how to do this. Mum
Harry, You've spent four years on ants. Tonight you're allowed to never mention them to anyone again.
Dear former 10B, You probably don't remember me. I remember you: the class that knocked the projector off its bracket twice in one week. Today's your first A-level exam. I just wanted to say that Callum's presentation on volcanoes is still the worst thing I've ever marked. I kept it. Good luck, all of you. Mr Okafor
Common questions
What should you write to someone who's just got their results?
Talk about the effort rather than the result: the evenings of revision, the subject that wouldn't go in. A message about the work holds up whatever happens. If you're writing before the results, put in a sentence for each outcome, and let them pick theirs without saying so.
Can you schedule a message for graduation day?
Yes, if the date is known when you write. Capsül delivers the message by email on the set day, but the date can't be changed once the capsül is sealed. If the ceremony hasn't been scheduled yet, pick a date you're sure of, like the day after official results.
How far in advance can you write?
About six months without buying anything, since the free tier tops out at 180 days. For a three-year course, you need the pack that goes up to five years. Prestige goes to ten, and extensions go further still. So a message written in freshers' week can wait for the master's.
Can a teacher send a capsül to a whole class?
Yes, with the right pack: three recipients with the first, five with the next, no limit with Prestige. Each pupil gets their own link. Ask for personal addresses rather than school ones, which tend to disappear once they've left.