Congratulations on graduating high school! If you thought that was hard, just wait for college. Use this summer as your last hoorah with all your high school friends because you’ll never have another summer like it. You are sitting on the brink of the most freedom you have ever attained. You’re eager to get into the real world, but your stomach is full of butterflies concerning all the new things coming your way. But this will be the best summer of your life, so live it up.

You won’t have to worry about any tests or making new friends. After you graduate high school, you have no idea how difficult college will be. Now, I don’t say that to scare you, but college is a new ballgame. So use your time as a high school grad not quite a college student to have fun! Make a bucket list. Do something crazy now. You’ll still be able to do that in college, but you will also have the impending doom of a paper or test always hanging over you.

So why is this summer different from any summer during high school or college? During high school, you’re still a little young to be able to do all the fun things. Most people don’t get their driver’s license until junior year, and your parents still think of you as a little kid. After graduating high school, your parents begin to finally come around to the idea of you being somewhat adult.

During college, your summers will be full of summer classes, internships, study abroad trips, and jobs. Sure, you’ll still have fun, but you will also have responsibility. What you choose to do with your summers in college will affect graduate programs and future employment. You’ll have to use your summers during college to better yourself.

You’ll also never be able to hang out with your high school friends as much as you will this summer. You will soon all go off to different schools, and, no matter how hard you try, you will not stay in touch with everyone. It’s bittersweet, but it is also necessary. So stay out too late. Race to the movie theatre to see the last showing of a movie with your friends.

This summer will be the most freedom you will have with the least amount of responsibility. I realize that almost sounds like an oxymoron, but hear me out. After graduating high school you are about two and a half months away from a whole new world that you have never experienced. You will decide when you eat, sleep, or study, but this summer, you don’t have to do any of that. If your parents are anything like mine, they will grant you more freedom this summer, so that you hopefully don’t go crazy when you get to college. They will let you stay out later with your friends doing absolutely nothing productive all on their dime. (Thanks mom and dad).