Dear Class of 2017,
Congratulations! You have successfully completed high school, and are now being thrust out into the world...
Kind of.
Unless you are anticipating joining the work force straight away, this little myth that graduation is the first step to adulthood is an utter lie. I mean, don't get me wrong, your life is about to change in major ways; you will be living away from home (most likely), you will be managing your time the way that seems most fit to you, and your general sphere of who you interact with will shift drastically. That is a lot to take in.
But aside from this, there are a few things to keep in mind. For the first bit: you have not moved out of your house. It'll seem like it when the whole car was packed up with your stuff and your mom was crying and hugging you (by the way, even if she says she won't, or if she cried before this moment and you both thought she got it out of her system, she will cry), but in actuality you still have home. Where did you think you'd be for the entirety of next summer, and for winter break, and for spring break, if you can't afford the beaches?
Second bit: College is not the real world. In the real world, people don't routinely get Wine Drunk on Wednesdays, they don't sleep in random public places, and they don't spend almost every waking moment with their friends. I will allow you to believe that college is adulthood if it will make the transition easier, but please know in your heart of hearts that this is really a once in a lifetime opportunity. Remember how middle school "prepared you" for high school? Let's say college does the same thing, but for adulthood.
Third and last bit: You still do have to live at home for the summer between graduation and move in day. I know it is very tempting to cut ties, to justify being a certain way because you're leaving soon and you'll make new friends when you move, but this can lead to a very lonely, or awkward, summer. If friendships aren't meant to last, they won't, so please spare yourself drama and stress and be nice to people until you actually move, not until you walk across the stage. In combination with this, be kind to your parents. This will be an adjustment for them too, so spend time with them while you're at home to do it.
Now, all of this is not to say that graduation and college and life is not very exciting, because it very much is! It is just important to remember that the things that happen before move in day are important, and that although life will change (and very much so) it's not always as much as you think.