As you walk out of your high school graduation, suddenly everything is unknown.

The feeling in your chest is unfamiliar, but it doesn't compare to the unfamiliarity of the future ahead of you. You've grown up in your comfort zone, with the same group of friends, all of you experiencing the same things at the same time. But now, you're all off to college... and that means all of your stories are about to go in different directions. And right now it's terrifying, but it sure doesn't have to be. Uncertainty is all it takes to find yourself.

You're about to experience new things. You're going to be forced to learn everything on your own, and it will be hard. So many things are going to be changing around you. The most important thing to realize in this time of your life is that the only constant through everything is you.

Just you.

Once you realize how little things matter in the grand scheme of things, boy, is it liberating. We are so small, and our decisions have relatively no effect on the entirety of the world in the long run. You only matter right now. Don't take that the wrong way, I'm sure you're pretty cool and everything, but you need to understand that the life you are living is entirely your own. You are doing everything solely for yourself. When you start living that way, everything makes sense.

College is the perfect time for you to focus on making decisions for you. It's a time for you to make yourself happy. Stop living to please others. Don't doubt what you want. Inspire yourself. Have faith in your gut. Follow your intuition because now more than ever, nobody can tell you that you're wrong. What I'm getting at is simply to live freely. Nothing goes as planned and that's okay. Roll with it, smile through it, because you're going to end up right where you're supposed to be. Live in the now because that's where all the happiness is. Stop stressing about what is to come and enjoy what's in front of you before it's gone because it will be in the blink of an eye.

So send the text.

Spend the money.

Dance to the song.

Kiss the boy.

Get the tattoo.

Pull the all-nighter.

And always put yourself first. Enjoy the present. The rest will come.