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Editorial voice from elsewhere
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Graduates, your parents, grandparents, teachers and other adults have worked tirelessly to mold you over your grade, middle and high school careers. We know it is now time to let you fully develop into the masterpieces we know you can be.
It’s a scary time for us, but we know it has to feel even more uncertain for you.
Whether you’re heading into post-secondary education, taking time off to find your path or entering into the workforce, life is about to change … and that’s a great thing.
Know that graduation means packing up your proverbial bags and moving out of the high school fishbowl. The days of running into the same people every day are over. The world is opening up to you in a more profound way, no matter what your plans for the future may be.
The missteps you made in high school are now behind you. As you swim out into the ocean of life, don’t forget about the mistakes you’ve made, but don’t let them hinder you, either.
You’ve a new chance to do it right.
Whatever path you walk moving forward, do it as the best version of yourself. Resolve to evolve into the person you want to be every single day.
Apply yourself to making it happen, and when you falter (and you will!) get back up and keep moving forward.
The number of times you fail at doing better, trying new things and achieving your goals isn’t as important as the tenacity you show when you fall short.
As you focus on yourself, please don’t forget that personal connections matter. Put down your phone/tablet/computer and engage with those around you. Living your life through a screen isn’t living; it’s hiding.
You are an incredible human being, worthy of person-to-person engaged conversation, smiles and laughter.
Don’t forget the people you leave behind – even the ones you didn’t like. They had a role in your life, even if only to show you who you don’t want to be.
And remember, please, the adults in your life aren’t as clueless as you’d like to think. While they might not be up-to-date on the latest apps and tech advancements, they’ve lived through this stage of life already. They’ve stumbled and fallen ahead of you, and they have thoughtful “been there, done that” advice to offer. They don’t want to see you have the same struggles they did. They want you to do better, and they’re willing to share their biggest failures, if you’re willing to ask.
To those of you who are undertaking loans to finance your education: talk to someone who’s trod before you, mired in student debt, about what they would’ve done differently. Chances are they’ve got a list of things.
Live your life for yourself. Don’t let others make decisions about your future career path. You’ll be spending the next several decades in the workforce. Make it doing something that you love.
Remember, through all of it, life is short and precious. None of us know how long we may have, and you should strive to make the mark that you leave on those around you, one that makes them smile at the joy you’ve brought them.
There isn’t a how-to manual for any of this. If there were, any honest adult would tell you they’d have made fewer mistakes. Hold strong to the knowledge that they survived making their way into adulthood and you will, too.
Move forward now, and look at yourself like a blank canvas.
It’s time to go and paint your Picasso.