Dear high school seniors,

In a few weeks, maybe even days, you will walk across the stage and end your high school career. You will no longer be a "kid" anymore you will be a young adult ready to take on the next chapter of your life whether it be college, the military, or jumping right into the working world. In the meantime, make sure you take in the last few weeks or even days of being in high school.

This will be the last few times waking up early to catch the bus or a ride with your best friend, driving down the same roads you have every morning for the past four years. This will be the last time you will see some of the familiar faces you've passed in the hallway every morning, and it will mostly likely be the last time you and all your friends will be together at the same time and place all at once.

Take time to look back and see how far you have come. Look back and see all that you have accomplished in four short years. All the projects you made, art you've created, papers you've written, all the games you went or competed in, and all the relationships you've made with friends, coaches, and teachers.Look back at all the memories you have shared with your friends good and bad because all of your experiences have shaped you into the person you are today. Don't regret anything you think you did wrong, I promise that one low grade, that one bad race, that one game the team lost, the "high school sweetheart" you fell for but it didn't work out won't matter in the long run.

Learn from your mistakes, and leave the regrets behind.

High school has taught you a lot about yourself, but don't let past mistakes control your future.This is a brand new chapter in your life all the pages are blank. You will meet brand new people, have brand new adventures, and learn more than you thought possible about yourself. You will start to figure out who you are and what you want to do in your life. It's a beautiful thing.

But before you start this brand new journey enjoy the little things at home for as long as you can. Parents questioning your every move can be annoying, but in a few months they won't be asking you of your every move and hoping they taught you to make the right decisions. They won't be able to ask you how your day was or give you a hug. They will be a phone call away, but it's just not the same. You will miss them a lot and realize how much they have done for you. Give them the time they deserve with you this summer, after all, they are the ones who have been there for you through it all! Yes, that means putting your phone down and actually having a conversation or two with them. It means putting them before your friends sometimes too.

You also have to make time for your friends though as well! Go out and adventure with your friends over the summer, because as I said before this might be the last chance you will all be around the same area. Take LOTS of pictures!!! Take pictures to hang in your new dorm or apartment, you'll be happy to look at all the memories you've made and continue to add to them with all the new people you'll meet on your journey. Most importantly take time for yourself. Do some good things for yourself. Treat yourself to something you've always wanted, you've worked hard and deserve to praise and treat yourself.

When your time comes, and the car is full of all of your belongings to move on to your next chapter you will probably be holding back tears or bawling like a baby. It's an exciting, yet scary feeling at the same time! You will adjust quickly, I promise. Remember it's a blank slate you are going to a totally new place and meeting brand new people. Nobody knows who you are, only what you tell them. Make the most of it!

You are now in control of your life and get to choose how your story is written. Always remember your support system back at home. Some days you will be looking for motivation to get assignments done or even get up in the morning.

On those days remember how far you've come and where you want to go. A call home, writing a letter to a loved one, and a coffee can usually solve most of your problems. All though you might think you can handle everything because you're off on your own, remember it's ok to ask for help and don't be afraid to ask for it. Other days you will feel like you can take on anything and everything, remember to take it easy. You don't want to burn yourself out.

Enjoy your last days of high school, cherish them. Somedays you will wish you could go back to simpler times. Enjoy your last summer home with your loved ones and get ready for the next big adventure in your life. It will be a great one.