A year ago at my last ever high school choir concert, I received the opportunity to perform a speech I wrote that highlighted all the important life lessons learned during my senior year. After struggling through college rejection letters, broken relationships, and mental health, I owed it to myself to reflect on the positive aspects of my 4-year experience. I also wanted to inspire the rest of the seniors so we could realize that we've learned so much about ourselves and the world around us throughout high school, and that's definitely something we deserve to be proud about.

The transition from high school to college is such a big jump because you have to say goodbye to so many people you've grown to love over the past four years with no guarantee of what the future holds. What many people fail to see is that graduation is the perfect opportunity to recognize the successes that earned you a diploma in the first place. Because it's so easy to get caught up in all the possibilities that stem from new beginnings, we often forget the importance of acknowledging both the academic and social hardships that helped define us. Taking a moment to piece together how much we've grown allows us to appreciate the beauty of our journey while using lessons learned to prepare us for our bright futures as young adults.

I hope graduating seniors can connect with what I've learned during my time in high school, and here's to believing in the class of 2018; a family filled with leaders, diligently hard workers, and passionate students who vent their creativity out in such expressive ways. I know you all have such bright futures ahead of you, and I'm excited to see the positive change you're going to create wherever your life leads.

1. There are never any consequences for being kind.
2. There are things you don’t know about every single person. When they choose not to tell you these things, love them anyway and prove to them that they’re worth every hug and late night drive.
3. There are two sides to every story, and we’re often obligated to choose our own. Don’t disregard how others feel, everyone experiences the world differently.
4. Don’t hold onto anger, and when it chooses to harden its grip, soften yours.
5. Your future isn’t a point on a roadmap, the universe will get you where you need to go when you need to be there
6. Learn to work with what you have, but be willing to push harder to get what you want.
7. Your body is your home, treat it accordingly. Learn to love messy buns and chubby stomachs, people are not perfect things.
8. Any time is a good time to start over. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, count to five, exhale. Become someone new; remember that you’re always entitled to better beginnings.
9. Forgiveness is a gentle thing; give it the confidence to grow and I promise you’ll leave a better person because of it.
10. Never forget to take time to appreciate the intricate beauty of the world we live in. Grab your headphones and watch the stars on a starry night, go on morning hikes with friends, learn to appreciate this life you’ve been given.
11. With every new person you meet, there’s an opportunity to create lifelong memories and relationships. Don’t be afraid to let these people in, often times they’re willing to provide the life lessons and support we need.
12. The sadness will come in waves. Learn to live by rolling with the tide, and understand that you will leave with scars and scraped knees; remember that healing is not linear.
13. Learn how to say goodbye; get used to its bitter sting as it rolls off your tongue, know that it will never get easier, but realize that it's necessary.
14. Make the most of every moment instead of holding on to the memories; the memories will never leave, but the moment will.
15. Learn your boundaries, be able to make choices based on your own happiness instead of allowing others to make them for you.
16. There are endless means of self-expression, find one that speaks to you and use it as a platform for your thoughts and feelings. There's a voice within you that hasn't been heard yet, learn to listen to yourself and you'll find it.
17. Try and explore; see the world and everything it has to offer. There are cultures and towns with tons of new adventures and sights, learn to understand the way other people live and you'll learn to understand yourself.
18. Be a lover of all people, places, things. There is enough love in your heart to share with each and every person you meet; if someone is trying to make room for you, try to make room for them too.

Looking back on my life after graduation, I realized that while high school definitely taught me lessons I could carry into adulthood, I didn't know much about life outside of my experience with secondary education. I honestly wasn't prepared for more challenges, more pain, and more successes no matter how much I tried to become accustomed to them. Nonetheless, the most important part of adulthood is the realization that as people, we're always growing. Whether this means growing into the season of who we are or growing out of stale relationships, all of our growth is meant to evolve us into who we're meant to be. Therefore, as a note to past me as an opportunity to reflect on my first year of college, here are some things I'd like her to know.

Don't compare the pace of your life to others; watching them achieve your dreams can be difficult, but just because they're able to succeed doesn't take away from your strengths and abilities. There will always be another chance to strive for your dreams, and if you still find yourself struggling to achieve them, understand that your failures will only bring you closer to your true path.

Form both private and personal relationships, but understand that our growth isn't always meant to hold us in one place with the same people and expectations we've become accustomed to. This reality can be difficult to accept, but open your heart to the possibility of meeting others willing to put in the effort to understand you, and I promise happiness will find its way back eventually.

But most importantly, love. Love infinitely regardless of whether you expect to get back what you give. Kindness isn't a form of currency, it's an opportunity to invite someone into your space and share with them the softest parts of you even if you don't feel they deserve it.

I'm so excited to see what the next three years of college bring me, and while there will be plenty of obstacles along the way, I can't wait to build upon all the important lessons my past has taught me in order to make room for my bright future. And to the graduates anxiously waiting to see what their future holds, remember that there is so much out there in the world waiting for you, and I can't wait for you to experience it.