Well, you did it.
The final period bell has long since rang, the lockers have long since been emptied, your graduation cap's tassel has been moved and a chapter has been completed in the storybook of your life.
Take pride in this moment, in all that you have accomplished. The countless hours spent studying for exams in classes you couldn't care less about. The anxiety and tension over preparing for SATs and ACTs. The numerous college visits and time spent pouring over different college websites, weighing the pros and cons of each. It's hard work, but that didn't stop you. You persevered forward onto a path toward your future goals, your dreams and ambitions.
As you're reading this, you're likely in one of two situations: about to move into your college or have already moved in a few days prior. Regardless of which situation is applicable to you, I just wanted to say this:
It is OK to be scared. Fear isn't necessarily a bad thing; what defines it is how we let that fear define ourselves. Embrace the nerves and the anxiety. It's expected to come when you are embarking on a new and unpredictable adventure. But don't let them consume you; rather, utilize them as a catalyst for success. Let them drive you, motivate you. Because while those butterflies in your stomach do represent nervousness, they also represent excitement and anticipation for a chapter of your life that has yet to be written.
Remember that you are the author of this portion of your life. This isn't high school anymore, where popularity and social pressures can often get the best of us. College is an amazing time to discover new friends that share your same passions, and to make use of those passions to create new experiences. Don't remain stagnant. Stay hungry, stay driven and stay ambitious. Don't settle for anything in college -- with enough hard work and enthusiasm, this world can truly be your oyster.
There will be moments of lingering doubt and apprehension, moments when you just want to scream, "What am I doing with my life?" off the highest mountaintop. We have all been there. But then there are those other moments. Those moments when your heart has swelled with pride and you are in a crowd of your peers and nothing feels more familiar or more like home than that precise moment. When you are at the right school for you, you'll know. Your gut will feel this recognition, this approval of the intuition you had about this school so many months ago. Wait for that moment because I can promise you that nothing tastes sweeter.
On the days that are challenging and feel as though the universe is conspiring against you, rise above. Pull yourself up, brush off the dirt, grit your teeth and carry onward. College isn't necessarily about who's the brightest; it's about who has the willpower to succeed. Remind yourself that you got into this college or university for a reason. Even on days when you don't believe in yourself, they believe in you.
I wish you all the success and happiness your future can offer, and I hope your next four years are some of the most fruitful, prosperous and enjoyable of your life. Work hard, play hard. Don't sweat the small things. Stay hungry and bold. Open your mind to accept what your environment and peers have to offer. Believe in yourself.
As for the rest? Well, the rest is still unwritten.
