My little brother is graduating from high school this June, and I have done my best to impart with him the wisdom I wish I had during that monumental day in my educational career. Now sitting here writing this piece, I hope to do the same for other nearly graduated seniors in high school.

The first and most important thing to know about graduating is that there is so much more to come – more school, more friends, more fun, and more life. It may seem like the world is ending – and in a lot of ways it is – the world that you have been immersed in for the last 4+ years is about to come to a close and while it may seem like the biggest deal in the world that you are your BFF aren’t going to the same college, or that a group of kids at your school aren’t speaking to you, at the end of the day none of it matters. It’s important to be realistic about what is actually going on around you, and while these last few weeks of school, and evidently graduation in and of itself is a big deal – you will move on with your life and it will be better than you could have ever imagined. The best is yet to come.

Another important thing to understand is that this is a huge day for your parents – make sure to thank them. It’s a life changing experience not just for you, but for them as well. Graduating from high school marks the end of an era, the end of ridiculously early class times, parent teacher conferences, and high school drama. Your parents (or guardian) have walked with you every step of the way, supported you through a massive growing process, through your puberty, and through the mistakes and triumphs of your high school career. Graduation day is a day for them just as much as it is for you – it’s a finish line. Just make sure to thank your parents for everything they did for you.

The last piece of advice would be to just have fun and not create expectations (whether too high or too low) for the future. The world is your oyster and what is about to happen next is nothing more than a mystery and the hint of possibility. Get ready to continue to grow, to change, to learn, to loose and gain friends, and to become the you that you were supposed to be. Let go of who you thought you were, and simply live and let live as you take this big step in your life and embark into the future.