Oh, God. It's here. It's finally here. Graduation is upon us and the gaping maw of adulthood can no longer be ignored. I have seen the eternal Footman hold my cap and gown, and snicker...
I am equally as terrified as you are, but in the spirit of optimism, here are seven words of advice and comfort we should all keep in mind.
1. Celebrate
Guys, we did it. We survived the dark ages of elementary and middle school, frolicked through the flames of adolescent hell, and then endured four more totally unnecessary years of stress and work in the pursuit of one fancy piece of paper. Think about it. You didn't have to come to college (OK, OK, get skeptical here if you want) but you did. You weathered countless all-nighters and endless pages of dry textbooks. You typed until your fingers bled and the words no longer made sense. You put up with being sexiled, accosted by drunks, and sharing a bathroom. Now, at last, it's paying off, so celebrate, and celebrate hard.
2. Fight
In applying for jobs and internships, I'm sure you've noticed how tough the world is. It's huge and scary and everyone seems to want what you want. I don't doubt you're a perfect fit for that entry-level position at Penguin Random House, but you need to make them know it. They're sifting through 1,000 applicants a day, so make yourself special and be relentless. Make follow-up calls. Send emails with questions. Especially if you're planning to stay in New York, it's time to start throwing elbows.
3. Connect
It's 2016. Everyone is on no less than 30 different social media platforms. There's no excuse for us not to stay in touch with each other. Do everything in your power to keep your friends. Not only because of the wonderful memories you've made over the past four years, but because it makes the odds of finding a job you love much higher.
4. Relax
Seriously, some of you just need to chill. We're all in the same boat. To that end...
5. Breathe
Things are gonna get hard. Hell, they already are. I doubt there's a more stressful time in a person's life than their last months of college. For many of us, this is the first time in our lives where we don't know what comes next. Remain calm — something will. It might not be the thing you want, but it could very well be the thing you need. And remember, few things in life are permanent.
6. Stumble
You're gonna screw up. It's inevitable. I don't care what your GPA is, you're just as susceptible to mistakes as anyone else. You'll forget appointments. You'll fail assignments. You'll get fired. These things are OK. They don't determine your worth as a person. So fail, and fail often.
7. Listen
If there was one thing I thoroughly did not enjoy about my college experience, it's that everyone was hard-set in their opinions. Opinions are fine. Having them is good. But there is a large difference between passion and ignorance. Too many people I've met over the last four years refuse to consider opposing perspectives. This is dangerous. Listening only to the people and ideas we are comfortable with makes growing almost impossible. So take a chance and listen to the other side. You might learn something.
As the big day looms, I'll leave with you with the best commencement speech I've ever heard.
Congrats, guys. We did it.
