To my little brother,

That may not be the best way to start this, seeing as you’re six feet and change now. No matter how big you get, you’re always going to be my little brother. The one who laughed at me when I fell off the back of a tractor, the one who would boost me up that last ladder rung into the treehouse, the one who was always on my side.

There are a few things I want you to know, now that you’ve graduated. I may not have it all figured out, you probably know that, but I do have some experience that may be beneficial for you to hear. So bear with me as I dole out the mediocre wisdom I’ve come to learn.

1. It’s okay to be wrong.

This one really sucked to learn, I’ll be honest with you. But I do mean it. High school came easier to us, I know I didn’t truly feel challenged until senior year. It was nice to be able to raise my hand and know the answers. Then I walked into my first 100+ student lecture hall, and boy let me tell you, approximately none of us could answer all the questions alone.

2. You can be unsure about your major

Please, please, please, if you’ve learned anything from my hot mess of a college career, remember this. I started off thinking I’d go to college for nursing, then I had a flight of fancy with engineering, and then someone told me the #1 job for young women in the future was going to be physical therapy. At some point in all of this, I also considered majoring in English, psychology, biology, and early childhood education. That’s seven different majors I considered, seven! Don’t be worried if you change your mind a few times about what you want to do.

3. Find what makes you happy.

Some people love chess club, some people love res hall council, some people really love Greek life. I don’t know what you’ll end up loving, but what I do know is that when you find something that makes you happy -- you can’t give it up. Find friends that support you, classmates that challenge you, and student groups or clubs that keep you occupied outside of the classroom.

4. It’s not always about studying.

I would like to start by saying sorry to my mom and dad for this point, but it’s true! Please don’t take this to mean don’t study, because you need to do that. You need to do your homework and read the hundred dollar textbooks you'll never be able to justify purchasing. But when you’re done, learn how to fold a fitted sheet and iron the clothes you have to wear for a presentation tomorrow. Remember to brush your teeth, wash between your toes, and set at least 5 alarms for the morning. College isn’t just about learning to be a great engineer, or a doctor, or whatever you choose. It’s also about learning how to take care of yourself and your belongings. It’s about developing the skills to be self-reliant.

5. Call home every now and then.

You might be really, really ready to get out of Madison and out of the house. But there are some people here who aren’t exactly ready for you to go. Sure, they’ll bring you up to school and get you settled in and unpacked. But then they’ll leave you all alone and go home. Please, please. Call them at least once a week, more if you can. Tell them about the people you meet, the classes you’re taking, how great the dairy bar is. Ask them how they’re doing, how work is, how your hometown is holding up without you. If you haven’t figured it out, the two most important people you should be calling are Mom and Dad.

6. Lastly, call me every now and then.

If you ever get time, I wouldn’t mind a phone call every now and then. It’s been lonely being the only one in college from our family, and I’d like to hear about how you like it, or dislike it. Call me when you need help with friends, relationships, classes, professors, sports, anything. Your roommate sucks? Call me and I’ll tell you how much my roommate sucked. Your classes are hard? Call me and let’s see whose major is actually more difficult. Anything you need, call me.

First, enjoy your summer. Spend time with your friends, go on adventures with them, stay up late talking about whatever you can think of. Enjoy the time you have left with them before you all part ways this fall. And congratulations again, for graduating. I didn’t ever believe I’d really watch you grow up.

As always,

Your super proud big sister