I know I'm only a second semester freshman, but I can't help but to be anxious for my future. I've been in school all my life and I honestly don't know what life will be like without it. Sure, I've gotten a taste from the summer of what it's like to have no responsibilities, but I realize that real life is nothing like that.

Dear Graduate Me,

Congratulations! You did it! You have completed the final milestone of your academic life. How do you feel? I'm sure you're feeling so many different emotions ranging from optimism to anxiety. That's OK! Everyone sitting alongside you in their graduation robes are feeling the exact same emotions. You're not in this alone. You've completed a huge part of your life, but it's not over. You will soon come to realize even though you're not in school, you still learn something new everyday.

I'm sure that you're excited that you're finally able to go into the real world and lead your own life. I'm sure you're nervous to lead that life on your own. You've been around people everyday, but the real world is different than college life. Theres a lot of silence and there's a lot of time for yourself. Don't be afraid of that. I know the future seems bright and there are endless possibilities, just don't get lost in choosing your right path. There will be times where it will be easier to choose one path. However, you should seriously consider if that is the right path for you. There will be people along the way to help you up, and conversely, there will be people there to tear you down. There will be times where you will be homesick and there will be times where you feel lonely. During those times, it's best to try to strive forward and keep yourself busy instead of wallowing in your own self pity and sadness.

Another thing that is important to keep in mind is the friendships you've made up until this point. Look around you. There are 10, 20 or maybe even hundreds of people who love you sitting among you. The memories you've made up until this point have been some of the best you've ever had. Never forget them. Remember the stories from college that you'll tell your kids when they go to college. Keep in touch. There might be times where you'll think that they're useless friendships now, but remember how they made you feel then.

Don't treat real life like how you treated your college work. You know that you procrastinated one too many times. You know that you forgot you had a quiz every once in a while. Be on top of things. Life doesn't give you a learning curve. Life doesn't have forgiving professors who know what you're going through.

You can do this. There will be times where you feel that your life is falling apart, but you have to focus on the good things to outweigh the bad. You have to think of how happy you'll be doing the things you love. No one ever said it was going to be easy, but they always said that it'll be worth it.

Sincerely,
Undergraduate Me