You did it!
Years of schooling have (finally) come to an end. You’re on to the next big adventure — regardless of what that is. Maybe you’re traveling the world, maybe you’re moving to a new city to start a new job, or maybe you’re settling down somewhere familiar, ready to take on the world. After all, we all know the saying that the world is our oyster.
However, maybe some of you are feeling a little bit of fear. You have to be a real adult now. How are all these other adults so much better at adulting than you are? What is this madness? How did that girl triple major and graduate with a 3.98? How does that guy have a big, fancy job lined up for him in Seattle? What about those student loans? Fear not — we’re all having those thoughts, regardless of how far away from graduation we may be.
What matters is that you made it. You might have changed your major one or two (or five) times, but you’re finally walking across that stage. Out in the crowd, you’ve got your family, friends, and mentors that helped you along the way. As you accept that diploma, think of those late nights spent with friends bent over textbooks or board games. Think of the inside jokes you made, and the things you’ve seen. Think of the clubs you joined, the jobs you had, and the adventures you went on. Every one of those things got you to keep going, even when stress seemed to be impossible to look past.
Maybe some of you will miss college more than others. After all, it isn’t for everyone. Regardless of how long it took you to get to that stage, be it three years or seven, there’s no denying you earned it. So as you prepare to take your last finals of your undergraduate career, relish the sweet victory that is right around the corner. And maybe take the time to write a note to your favorite professors, friends or resident advisers. Let them know how they impacted your time in college.
Also, just so you guys know; you might have been someone’s inspiration. Maybe you’re the one they tried to compete with for the highest grade in the class. Maybe someone peer reviewed your creative writing paper and decided, damn, I want to write like that. Whether they told you so or not, regardless of if you knew them personally, someone is out there that looked up to you. I have plenty of people like that, and I hope that in some way they know that I did look up to them.
So, I hope you find so much joy and are passionate about what you learned while here. I hope that joy and passion follow you into the next chapter of your lives. I hope you find your dream home, your dream job and your dream life. Don’t be afraid of what’s in store. Don’t be afraid to falter a few times on your way to success.
Congratulations, graduates. Be free.
