Dear recent graduates,

First off, congratulations on graduating! No matter how long it took — three years or five or even more — college is finally over and you should be so proud of yourself. This is something you and everyone who loves you should celebrate. Take some time to breathe, de-stress from finals and enjoy your new-found freedom.

Next, congratulations to those who graduated with a job (I was one of you!) but, to those of you who haven't, it's okay. It's okay to not have your next gig lined up and have no plan for after college. Just because your friends are all employed and know what they're doing doesn't mean you have to because you are a totally different person than them. It's all a journey and every person has to take their own at their own pace.

You are unique. You are special. And you just completed a major life accomplishment that people all over the world — and even in your hometown — would kill for. Enjoy that and bask in the feeling of completing your goals.

Congratulations, class of 2017. In the wise words of Ms. Elle Woods, "we did it!"