A woman in Minnesota stumbled upon a touching story after finding a note in a book she bought at a local thrift store. Michelle, based in Minneapolis, recounted to Newsweek her experience of discovering the note purely by chance.

“I was browsing my local thrift store, found a book I wanted, and when I got home I noticed there were handwritten notes tucked inside,” she explained.

The note began with a handwritten affirmation: “I am smart. I am calm. I’ve worked hard to prepare. I’ve got this.” Below it, a record of MCAT scores displayed improvement over time, ranging from initial practice scores of 515 to real exam results reaching a perfect 528.

Additionally, the note listed details about medical school applications, interviews, and outcomes. Several prestigious schools, including Harvard Medical School and Johns Hopkins, were marked with acceptances, while others were marked with rejections.

As Michelle pored over the details, she realized it was a glimpse into someone’s path to becoming a doctor. The writer humorously pondered whether they liked people enough for a career in medicine, considering an alternative in veterinary programs.

It felt like discovering a small time capsule of someone’s life,” Michelle shared, marveling at the achievements documented on the note.

Finding it was notable, but what happened next was even more surprising. Michelle posted a photo of the note on Reddit as user lemonspriggs, and it gained significant attention, amassing over 7,500 upvotes.

To her amazement, the note’s author reached out. “This is so surreal … that’s my note,” the message began, explaining that the woman’s husband recognized it from the post and shared it with her. The woman was moved by the rediscovery of her past.

In her response, she conveyed she used the affirmations to combat MCAT anxiety. It read, “Seeing ‘I’ve worked hard to prepare. I’ve got this.’ again brought me right back to that season of my life.”

At 34, the woman revealed her journey took a different turn as she pursued a career in infectious disease research rather than clinical practice. She now leads a research lab concentrating on diseases transmitted between animals and humans.

She expressed gratitude towards Michelle for posting the note, calling it an opportunity to reconnect with her younger self, who, though scared, continued to strive. Her message to current MCAT students or aspirants of any daunting goal was simple: “keep going.” She noted that the process is ultimately rewarding.

Michelle reflected on the experience as a powerful reminder of social media’s potential to connect people in meaningful ways.