Class of 2016,
Congratulations! You guys did it. It seems like only yesterday that I was in your shoes. I remember walking up to grab my diploma and the whole time thinking "now is not the time to fall." At the same time I couldn't wait to get the little piece of paper that showed all the hard work I put in the last four years. Then again, for us, it is more than just a piece of paper. It represents the all-nighters, stressful projects, and more importantly, the fact that you completed high school.
There is no doubt in my mind that you have seen the countless posts on social media saying you have no idea what is in store for you. They all say that high school is easy. To an extent that's true, but of course there were hardships. Every high school student deals with the pressures from a social stand point as well as an academic one. At the time, those projects were hard for a reason. When you get to college you realize that those projects could have been way more demanding. Do not let others put those things down. At one point every current college student was in the same position you are. Be proud of the things you accomplished.
You only have so much time left. It is sad that we do not all get to stay in each other's lives. Sometimes your best friends become strangers and sometimes you get lucky and your friendship only becomes stronger. No matter what situation is presented to you, you are on the track to making some amazing friends. These will be friends that become your family while you are away from home. Even though the future is exciting, set time aside to hang with the people who got you through high school. So, go to each other's graduation parties. They may be the same thing over and over again and not the glamorous event but it is important to celebrate your friend's success and not just your own. Without knowing it, you could have played an important role in someone's high school career.
Celebrate your accomplishments and be there for your friends while they celebrate theirs. Take advantage of your summer. It is the last one that will be like the ones that you have known. It is not a bad thing. It just means that things will be different... and don't worry- it's a good different. You are on the road to bigger and better things. You are going to take on more challenges. You are going to accomplishments far greater things than you have ever imagined. Congratulations graduates!
