Stop telling high schoolers that high school will be the best time of their lives. Stop telling them about all of the reasons to fear what comes after they leave their hometown and go to college or get a job — college debt, bills, work, responsibility, heartbreak, kids, etc. Tell them what comes after, but do not tell them to fear it.

So to all of the fearful and stressed out graduating high school seniors out there, let me tell you what to not be afraid of after high school:

1. Don't be afraid of independence.

Sure, now you have all of these responsibilities and it is all on you. Going to class? Yup! Up to you! Eating breakfast? Up to you! Scheduling various appointments? Sometimes that is your responsibility, too.

But remember that your own success is also on you. You get to choose where you go and who your friends are. You will no longer be confined to one town and one school, you can choose where your time and energy goes. You might make some mistakes, but at least they will be 100 percent yours.

2. Don't be afraid of mistakes.

I had no clue what I wanted to do after high school, and that was okay. Mistakes are normal and they are absolutely not something to fear. Just because you are no longer in high school and have to be responsible for yourself, doesn’t mean you don’t have a safety net. You will still have your family and friends to help you along the way, and you will meet so many more people as you travel, learn and live.

3. Don't be afraid of "adulting."

Even in the “adult” world, literally no one really knows what “adulting” means. Does it mean learning how to use a planner? Or is it when you pay your own bills and taxes for the first time? Is it when you set like a billion different alarms on your phone for work, school and everything else? For me, I still eat pizza bites for breakfast, so I’m really not sure what the qualifications for being an “adult” are. Really, what I am trying to say is, just don’t worry about it.

4. Don't be afraid of being a little scared.

Being a little scared of leaving high school is normal. It is a huge leap and we keep getting told about everything that will happen to us from people who probably do not understand. Our parents went to college when it was a third of the price that it is now. The graduated seniors from the year before are sometimes states or even whole countries apart from each other. You probably will not do the exact same thing as the people who are telling you what the real world is like.

So yes, it can be scary, but trust me — high school was not the best time of your life, and I hope that college is not either. I hope that you never actually reach the best time of your life until much, much later, because there is so, so much to look forward to. Enjoy every second of every adventure, and do not be afraid of what comes next.