Dear Class of 2017,

Congratulations, you made it. I know that by now you are probably sick of hearing that and you are sick of answering what school you picked or what career path you are going down. You have had your last gym class, last lunch with your friends, and last time walking out of high school as a student. It is scary to think that the same thing you have done for four years is over. You will not be in class with the same people every day or seeing your favorite teachers. You will not be playing with your best friends on your home field or court or you will not be cheering for your friends on the sideline. It is weird to think about "What do I do now?" well, here is some things I learned after I graduated.

Always be humble. No one cares about all your high school accomplishments once you walk out those doors at graduation. No one will care that you were a big shot in high school once you get to college. If you continue to live through your high school career in college you will hate college.

It is okay to lose friends. Going to college changes people or distance makes people lose touch. It is okay. You have the chance to meet so many new people and become friends with people from all over. The friends from high school that are important to you are the ones that you usually never lose touch with.

Studying is so important, but all fun and no play makes Jack a dull boy. If you spend all of your time studying and you do not go out and experience the other side of college you will not be happy. Go for lunch with your friends, watch that movie with your roommate, and go to the party. After college, it is the real world so try to have as much fun as you can.

Make sure you go to class, but if you miss one or two it is not the end of the world. You are in college to learn and if you are sick stay home and get better. But do not make it a habit of skipping class. Skip when you need to, not when you want to.

Try to be as outgoing as you can. If you shelter yourself with people you knew from high school you will not make any new friends or have new experiences. Leave your door open the first month of school and say hi to people walking by.

On my graduation day, my one friend gave me advice I never forgot. She told me to be a traveler, not a tourist. At the time, I did not really understand what she meant. After a year of college, I now understand. You need to explore the world, not watch it from the sidelines.

Good luck, class of 2017, wherever you end up — and you will all do great things.