For most high school seniors, graduation is just around the corner. About a year ago, I remember anxiously waiting for the final days to pass so I could graduate and never look back. My 4 years of high school definitely were not the best 4 years of my life and that's O.K, but here's what you should know.

To the high school senior about to graduate,

I know you're excited because so was I and who wouldn't be? Graduation day (finally) came and I truly realized how fast those 4 years went by. Freshman year, I could've sworn that the days were going to take forever and sometimes it felt like that. It's almost like I blinked and then there I was standing in line waiting for my name to be called to walk across the stage and get my diploma. I'll be honest; it was bittersweet. I was so glad that high school was finally ending, but I was sad because I was about to enter this big world with not a lot of direction.

The "real world" is scary and college isn't easy. Know that who you are/were in high school doesn't matter once you grab your diploma and toss your cap in the air. Whether you were the "shy kid" or one of the "popular" kids, that title goes out the window the minute you walk into the "real world".

If you don't know what you want to do after high school, don't fret. Use the time after high school to discover who you are and what you want to do in life. If you do have a plan, don't be afraid that those plans may change.

High school is a time for transition as teens move into adulthood and it's a time for growth as well as a time for learning and new experiences. The world is waiting. Go get it.