To the kindergartner eagerly anticipating the first day of "big kid school"... get ready. Your world is about to become so much bigger, with new things at every turn.

To the first grader on the swings, carefree and laughing... enjoy it. You will swing into the hubbub of life faster than you can ever imagine.

To the second grader who thinks cursive is the hardest challenge... keep going. One day you will be signing your name on essays written in the very same lettering you now despise.

To the third grader who worries when their mom is a couple minutes late to pick them up... don't stress. Your mother will always come get you, no matter where you are.

To the fourth grader who is required to read a book with just words for the first time for a book report... get used to it. Life is not all about the pretty pictures; often, words have more value than you realize.

To the fifth grader who refuses to brush their hair because "I-Do-What-I-Want" is their motto, it's OK... You'll soon realize that a few knots in your hair will be the least of your worries, and you'll go to school each day with your hair brushed nicely.

To the sixth grader who thinks that middle school is the most awkward place on the planet... you will get over it. Awkwardness is a fact of life, and transitions must happen. Both are uncomfortable, yet inevitable.

To the seventh grader who begins to hit puberty... you will survive. Your friends are going through the exact same thing. Use this time of change to grow close to each other. Also, I promise you that the pimple on your face is not as big as you think it is.

To the eighth grader who thinks that standardized testing is horribly unfair... you're right. But the fact is, it's unavoidable, and you're expected to do your best always. Your best is all that matters, no matter what the school may say.

To the freshman who opens the school doors with trembling hands, and butterflies in their stomach... take a breath. These next four years fly by faster than you will ever imagine is possible.

To the sophomore who stares at the graduating senior class with longing in their eyes... stop. Enjoy your life at the stage you're in. You will find that you love your friends and the simple times more than you thought.

To the junior who cries over ACT study books, AP tutorials, and hours of homework... breathe. You will get through this. Take each day as it comes. You as a person are not defined by a number on a test or your final GPA.

To the senior who begins the year feeling on top of the world... pause. Take in the moment. You've come so far, and you will continue to climb upward. Laugh more, and make as many memories as possible. Don't become one of the people who rarely shows up to school. Be different and go to school; pay attention. You'll be surprised at the wisdom you can attain from your teachers.

Finally, to the recent graduate... congratulations. You made it. You have walked across a stage and received a piece of paper that officiates your entry into true adulthood. Your life is about to change more than you know. Don't take the days for granted. Kiss your mother goodbye each time you leave the house, and listen to your father when he tells you something. Hug your brother, and treat your sister to ice cream every now and then. Give your dog some extra attention. All of these people will feel a hole in their lives open as you close the door to your dorm. After your graduation, the moment when you stand alone, after the pictures are taken, and the tassels are moved, is when you fully comprehend the feeling of openness. Not emptiness, not loneliness; but openness. It is a new feeling that you have never experienced before. It scares you at first, but don't worry. You will soon find that this feeling is a promising one. The future is before you, white as a blank sheet of paper. The world is your oyster, or however that old cliche says. As much as you say you are finished, and as much as you say you're complete, you are not. Your life is a sentence. Graduation does not complete the sentence with a period. Graduation is simply a semicolon; it allows for the sentence of life to continue. The ending of your high school career, your starting position on the field, or your reputation as a straight A student does not end your life. Your life will continue when you choose to move on and begin the second part of the sentence. It is now up to you to decide how you want to finish your sentence that we call life. You pick the ending. A period, a question mark, an exclamation point. The possibilities are endless. I hope you make it a good one.

Congratulations, class of 2016... we did it.