A year ago, I was you.

The unknown is scary. You've spent your entire life so far working towards one goal: graduating high school. Now that you've achieved that goal, it's scary to think of what lies ahead. Trust me, I've been there. Although it may seem like everyone else is just dying to get out of high school, you aren't the only one who's incredibly anxious about it.

After being there for so long, high school kind of becomes a security blanket. Whether your high school experience was wonderful, terrible, or seemingly average, it was a constant in your life for four years. If you're anything like me and find change scary, then letting go of such a long-running constant is absolutely terrifying.

When I left elementary school, middle school was scary, but I ended up liking it more. When I left middle school, high school was scary, but I ended up liking it even more. When I left high school, I was absolutely terrified to go to college. Don't get me wrong, my first week or two I was so anxious I could barely eat, but it got better from there. By the end of my first year, though, I was crying about having to leave it behind as I hugged the many friends I had made.

I guess what I'm trying to say here is that graduating high school is a big feat and a slightly terrifying one. The good news, though, is that it's lifechanging and in a good way. As comfortable as high school may have been the last four years, what's coming next is so much better. I'm not going to tell you to not be scared, because I know it's not that easy. What I am going to tell you is to be open to new experiences. Change is a scary thing, but it's a wonderful thing when taken in stride.

It's OK to not be in a total rush to leave high school and you aren't the only one who isn't. Enjoy this summer buying stuff for your dorm and picking out a super cute planner, but also don't be afraid to embrace the huge change coming your way. Know that everything you do in life and every change you experience is morphing you into exactly who you're supposed to be. And, if you're a religious person like I am, also remember that God has a plan for you, you just have to "trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" ~Proverbs 3:5

You've got this!