“Wear sunscreen.”
In the words of Mary Scmich, this would be the one piece of advice she would offer for your future, as scientists have proved the long-term benefits. But if I’m being honest the rest of her advice, although it “has no basis more reliable than [her] own meandering experience” is what you should pay most attention to.
Toward the end of my senior year of high school a teacher I admired dearly handed out a copy of a "commencement speech" for the class to read before we all left for the next part of our lives. In actuality it was a column written by Mary Schmich of the Chicago Tribune, in an effort to dispense her advice to the class of ’97. When first reading the column advising me to wear sunscreen, amongst many other things, I loved it. It was refreshing.
It was the perfect "commencement speech" to send me off to college. Heading into my freshman year I thought of this column often. It helped me with the transition and all that came with it. Then, slowly, it started to sit further and further in the back of my mind. Now a rising senior in college, it’s something I think of less and less. Which is ironic because her advice is something I feel like I need more and more.
In this column she was reminding me to love myself, take time for myself, to not be scared of myself, and to encourage myself. In such simplicity Mary Schmich gave me all the advice I felt I would ever need.
"Remember compliments you receive. Forget the insults."
Seems like such a simple task, doesn't it? Why is it that the compliments are so easy to forget and the insults so easy to remember? Why do we hold on to the insults, especially the ones from ourselves? It's true. You are your worst critic. The compliments you receive, many times, will be ones of substance. They will be about more than just your appearance or material things. Instead of brushing them off, take them in. Remember them.
There is something to be found for everyone in this column, complete with everyday advice to advice about the hard stuff. Things as simple as remembering to sing, stretch and floss to reminding you that you can't plan your whole life, nobody can. I suggest you read it, print it out and keep it somewhere safe.
Hold onto her words and remember that everyone needs advice every now and then, even if you don't know it. I truly believe that it is often the little things in life that help make your day better. This could be one of them.
