To the college graduates struggling with difficult life decisions,

Despite challenges and obstacles being thrown your way, you overcame the odds. You are a strong, intelligent, and talented group who can accomplish whatever goal you set for yourself. Do not let a bad test score, failed relationship and/or unnecessary amounts of homework impact your future.

Life is most definitely a game where you start playing at birth and learn the rules as you get older. Progressing forward requires making tough choices that can impact yourself and those around you.

There are hundreds and thousands of graduate students that want to be recognized for their accomplishments.

However, in the real world, not everyone will acknowledge your success, and it will cause you to question why. Although it is important to understand that having an optimistic attitude is necessary for living a happier life, surrounding yourself with people that will only give you confidence and the motivation to not give up on your goals is crucial as well. Do not forget to take care of yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually before making a big decision. Having a positive mindset in the morning will allow you to face any challenges throughout the rest of the day more easily.

Today it is hard for college students to get a full-time (or even part-time) job due to competition, thousands of applications being filled out every day, and certain skills that are required before employers consider them for work. In case you are unsure of what to do, try networking with friends or other students that are currently employed or interested in the same field as you. Taking online courses, staying informed about current events, and improving communication and writing skills to gain an advantage are other strategies to get noticed among the crowd of applicants. Confidence and knowing the right people are key elements to succeeding in life. There are specific decisions you will make like choosing the right class to take in college (if you are going for a Masters Degree), which questions to ask during an interview, and figuring out what to do in order to get promoted at a job you enjoy. If you can answer these questions, then you should not have a problem with handling other issues in life. Only positive thoughts and actions will lead to happiness.

While you are adulting, make sure to balance your social and work life. Spending too much time not be proactive will make you irresponsible while doing too much work can make you sick. One way to handle both is creating a daily list of objectives or tasks that you need to accomplish. Mark the most important as a priority and save the rest for later in the week or even month. Not only will this boost your confidence, but you will feel better about finishing something that you doubted could be done in time. Only after completing a big project or objective, treat yourself to something fun (not too expensive) like a movie or concert with friends.

Occasionally, your emotions will get the best of you, especially during stressful situations. Do not give in to your feelings if you are upset or angry. Take a deep breath and spend a few moments alone for a while to calm down. Then go back to the task you need to finish. Nothing will get done if you are not in the right mindset.

Graduating from college is an exciting, yet terrifying experience. You have come so far, and now have to take on the world. Society has proven to be difficult, but having the knowledge, skills, and connections will make it easier to manage. Just keep moving forward no matter what and ignore anyone that attempts to stop you from living your dreams.

After all, life is just a game. What happens in yours is based on your next move.