Congratulations! You've made it to the end of high school! All that hard work, or just enough work to get you by, has paid off. Now, what? College? Maybe take a semester or two off? Or maybe more school isn't for you — that's fine, too. Your life is finally starting, but like Hannah Montana once told us, life's what you make it. Now, before you go making plans for the future, I'd like to tell you a few things.
You're not going to keep all of your friends from high school, and that's OK. You'll realize that some people you were only friends with because you saw them five times a week. They might not have been meant to stay in your life forever, but hopefully, you gained something from those friendships and look back fondly on them. You'll make new friends as life goes on, and usually, those are the friendships that last for the rest of your life.
College is not like high school at all. Classes only last a semester; assignments are harder, and you might not be able to get by doing the bare minimum on your work. It requires effort, but as long as you are doing something you enjoy, it's all worth it. In college, you get to take the classes you want to and learn about things that interest you. Classes need to be taken seriously. Unlike in high school, most of the information you learn in college you will use when you get a job and in your everyday life.
You can no longer rely on your parents for everything anymore. Mom and dad won't be there to buy your food, cook it, or fill your gas tank. You'll have to take out loans, get a credit card, and start paying for things yourself. As scary as this may seem, you're an adult now, and you need to start doing adult things. Your laundry will no longer be washed, folded and put away for you; no one will be there to remind you to do your homework or clean your room. It's all up to you now. For those of you staying at home a little bit longer: don't take advantage of the things your parents do for you, they won't be doing it for much longer.
On the topic of parents: call home often. It will make your parents happy and feel better just hearing your voice; and, believe it or not, you might actually end up missing them. I couldn't wait to leave home, and now I find myself calling my mom every day.
Growing up is hard. I'm not going to lie, "adulting" is not very fun at times. It's stressful, overwhelming and sometimes seems like it is almost impossible. But as bad as it can get, it's also extremely rewarding. You're now your own person; you can be anyone you want, and — with some limitations — do whatever you want. Becoming responsible for yourself and looking at all you can/will/have achieved is one of the most satisfying things you will ever experience.
I wish you all luck on whatever your future holds for you all. I'm sure you'll all be just fine.
