It was just yesterday that I was standing in an auditorium just like you awaiting what would be one of the most memorable days of my life. It's crazy to think that this life changing ceremony lasts two hours and just after you move your tassel to the left, you are a high school graduate. I wish that I could go back and understand fully how meaningful that ceremony was and how important the memory of graduating high school will always be.

Even though high school wasn't the best time of my life, it shaped me into the person that I am today. When you leave that stage and those friends that you've grown up with, always remember that those memories and people will be with you for the rest of your life. Whether or not you decide to pursue friendships after college with your high school friends, you will always have a piece of them with you. I'm not going to lie, I've had to let a few people go in the process of leaving high school and that's okay. Right now you're going through the hardest goodbyes with the people that you care about the most.

I knew that saying bye to my family would be extremely difficult but, every day in college I was constantly busy and carried them with me wherever I went. Little things around college would remind me of my family members and long talks with my mom on the way to class were one of my favorite things ever. Those goodbyes will remain with you throughout your college experience and you'll always remember the people that you had the hardest time saying bye to.

I personally found myself closer to my high school friend when going back home because of the similar things that we all went through as freshmen in college. Those people matter the most because throughout life you're going to have to say goodbye to the people that you love the most and say hello to the people will change your life. Moving out and going to college will be the best experience of your life and a scary new beginning will make for a spectacular ending.

"You have to stay in school. You have to. You have to go to college. You have to get your degree. Because that's the one thing people can't take away from you is your education. And it is worth the investment."

-Michelle Obama