Dear Class of 2016,
Raise your hand if you're a senior in college about to graduate. Okay, now raise your hand if the idea of this absolutely terrifies you.
Well, at least we are both on the same page.
Let's face it, graduating college can be scary.Yet, it is also such an amazing accomplishment. However, I get that graduating can be a bittersweet feeling, so here are some words of wisdom I think every graduating college senior needs to hear.
1. Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.
Remember when you were a freshman in college and you didn't want to leave the comfort zone of your hometown and your high school friends? You were a small fish in a big sea. Now look at you. You can't imagine waking up and not going to campus to see the familiar faces that helped you through these past four years. Now you're about to enter another chapter of your life and you will be the small fish in the big sea once more. And guess what? You're going to be just fine. College was just a test run for the real thing.
2. If plan A doesn't work, the alphabet has 25 more letters. Stay cool.
Some of you are completely positive that your major is your passion. You know exactly what you want to do, and all you have to do is find the right job. On the other hand, there are some of you who have majored in a subject for four years and are slowly starting to realize it's not exactly what you want to do. Just remember that you're never stuck. You can always build upon the foundation you've created these past four years and do something that makes you truly happy. A degree is only a piece of paper with words on it –– it's not a script for your life.
3. As much as you want to plan your life, it has a way of surprising you with unexpected things that will make you happier than you originally planned.
You can't plan your life doing what you think will make you happy. You just have to do, and happiness will unexpectedly come through those experiences.
4. "As you grow, you learn more. If you stayed as ignorant as you were at 22, you’d always be 22. Aging is not just decay, you know. It’s growth." –Tuesdays with Morrie.
Relax. You're only in your 20s. You're still so young. You're never done growing and you're never done learning. Remember when you were 18 and you thought you were invincible? Now you look back and realize you knew absolutely nothing. You don't have to have all the answers right now, and in fifty years from now, you won't either. That's the beauty of age. There's always something to look forward to.
5. Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.
Your life is an empty page ahead of you. Yes, there's always that possibility you might fail the first few times, but there's also always that possibility you might succeed. Aim for success and never think you're not good enough for your own dreams. If you're lucky enough to have those dreams, then you're already ahead of the game.
6. You did not come this far to walk away without the victory.
You're so close! When you think about quitting think about why you started and why you've stayed this long. You will get a job and you will be a rock star.
7. I am going to tell you a secret. Every year, many stupid people graduate college. If they can do it, so can you.
John Green said it best, and you all know that one person.
8. So this is the part where I’m supposed to tell you it’s not scary. Well it is. Fear is natural, fear is good. It just means you’re growing.
You're allowed to be scared about graduating and going into the real world. If you weren't scared, it would mean nothing was changing. Good changes are coming your way, I promise.
9. Don’t forget to take care of yourself. Self-care is key.
While you're busy worrying about looking for job openings, checking out grad schools, making a resume, or trying not to fail out of your last semester of college, please remember to take care of yourself. Take care of the self that got you through these past four years with limited amounts of sleep and lack of nutrition. This is the home stretch and you deserve to treat yourself for all your hard work. Don't sweat the small things, because in the big picture of life, they mean nothing. Enjoy these last few months of senior year with the people who made the college experience worth it for you and molded you into the person that got you this far.
10. "And will you succeed, yes you will indeed (98 and ¾ percent) guaranteed." -Dr. Seuss
I think we can all agree that Dr. Seuss is timeless, whether you're in preschool or in your senior year of college.
On that note, I wish you the best of luck in your last few weeks of college!
All my best,
A Graduating Senior
