Once again graduation season is upon us. Whether you are graduating from high school, college, or something else, I’ve got some free advice. Feel free to pretend I’m your celebrity commencement speaker. In fact, you’re welcome to read my words in the celebrity voice of your choosing…
First and foremost, congratulations on your accomplishment! There may have been people who helped you along the way, but the majority of this you have accomplished yourself. It took hard work; it took dedication. It may have even involved some blood, sweat, and tears. Yet you did it! You persevered even when it was difficult, and now you have (or will be mailed) the diploma to prove it. Well done!
Secondly, it’s okay if you’re not feeling completely okay about the future. Change – even when it is good – is scary. There’s always unknown factors that are out of your sphere of control, and that can be overwhelming. The good news? You’re not alone in your feelings, and without trying something new, you will never know what you’re capable of achieving.
Along the same line, it is okay if the job you thought was your dream career turns out to not be it. You can always change career paths, get more education, etc. It’s okay to start over in your 30s. Some of my closest friends started again in their 40s. It’s also okay if your career goals change as you do. You do not have to stay in a miserable job for the next 40 years just because it matches your degree.
With this it is important that your timeline is unique to you. Just because it seems like the societal expectation is graduate, find a job, get married, buy a house, have kids, etc does not mean you have to follow that order. It’s okay if you never want to marry, have kids, etc. Likewise, the age at which you do these things does not matter. I’m thankful that I was 29 before getting married and 36 before having a kid. I wasn’t mature enough for such adult things in my early 20s.
If the timeline you thought you were on doesn’t pan out, you can always go home again. If you find yourself living out on your own, with roommates, with an SO, and it doesn’t go as planned, you can always move back with parents or other family members. This is also true for jobs, additional schooling, and financial planning not going as planned. This is another area where I speak from A LOT of experience. I had living situations, educational plans, and job searches not go in my favor at various times. Thankfully, I was welcome at home until I figured it all out again.
Finally, it is okay if you make mistakes. Making a mistake does not make you a bad person. Likewise, if you find yourself doing something that goes against your values, you are not a bad person. Part of being human is erring and on occasion doing things we know we shouldn’t. The real test is in how we get through these crucibles, and if we use them to become better people with a desire to reaffirm and stick to our morals or continue doing what we know we shouldn’t. With this remember that you are uniquely you, and you are not what/who others say you are. They don’t know the full story because they aren’t you.
Wishing you a bright future where all your dreams come true!
XOXO,
The Great Kaysby
The Great Kaysby 