Words of Wisdom for High School Graduates

I fully recognize that February might be an odd time to be posting a blog about graduation or commencement. For most of my students, graduation still seems like it is an eternity away. But for the next couple weeks, my Creative Writing students are working on graduation speeches, and it has got me thinking about what kind of advice I would have to give the class of 2016. 

I used to give my advice freely to all of my students. Though I teach English, I would go on rants about everything from relationships to money to educational decisions and everything in between. I thought, why not share what little wisdom I have with these kids who might not have anyone else to guide them in these matters? One day, however, I had a student tell me in no uncertain terms that I should keep my advice to myself and let students figure stuff out for themselves. "What is right for you might not be right for us." It caught me off guard. I was just trying to help! 

Needless to say, I keep most of my advice to myself now. I teach literature, I teach them how to write, I tell them the occasional funny story, and leave it at that. Consequently, I feel like I am somewhat bottled up. I have all of these "helpful hints" or "life mantras" I am dying to share with my students, but I am afraid of it crossing lines, alienating someone, or worst of all, falling on deaf ears.

So because I am teaching this unit on graduation speeches, I had my students list their top ten pieces of advice for graduates, and I did the same. This allowed me to share with them at least a little bit of what I feel are the most important lessons for people to learn as they exit high school and enter the real world.

So without further ado and in no particular order, here are my top ten pieces of advice for high school graduates. 

1. Take care of yourself. Get enough sleep, eat (fairly) healthy, and exercise every now and then. See a doctor when you need to. Don't be afraid of asking for help, and don't forget to meditate! Yoga is crazy, but it can also be pretty amazing. Relax and make time for yourself. Don't let the stresses of the world bog you down and don't run yourself ragged. You've got a long life to live.

2. Save, don't spend. Get free money (such as grants) whenever you can. Don't live off your student loans. Work your way through school if you have to. Don't rack up credit card debt. Don't be scammed by timeshare companies or "buy here pay here" car lots. Live modestly now so you can live comfortably later. 

3. Spend your life with your best friend. Beauty and physical attraction fade, butterflies get tired of flapping. When stressed out about money, work, parenthood, and personal tragedy, you will want your best friend by your side, not just a pretty face.

4. Travel as much as possible. Experience different cultures, religions, languages. The more you see of the world, the less ignorant you will be.

5. Have faith. Whether it is in God or the universe, believe in a power greater than yourself. You have to find a greater purpose, a meaning to all of this, to make it worthwhile.

6. Be an artist. Write. Paint. Act. Sing. Create something, otherwise you will spend your life consuming the success of other's creations. 

7. Be present. Watch sunsets. Listen to the lyrics. Get to know your parents. Put your phone down. Keep in touch with close friends. Time passes faster than you think. Drink it in.

8. Never stop learning. Expand your interests, take up new hobbies. Challenge yourself. Do difficult things. Read read read read read, and not just text messages or status updates. Pay attention to politics, but don't let it crush your soul.

9. Embrace your youth. It will be gone before you know it. Enjoy being single and having fun, but don't be afraid of growing up. Adulthood has its challenges, but also its rewards.

10. Be passionate and unashamed about your interests and your choices, especially if they are unpopular. Stand up for yourself and be firm in your commitments, but keep an open mind. Don't be afraid to change your mind if you feel so inclined. You are allowed and encouraged to grow and progress. That is the reason you are alive.

What are your top pieces of advice for high school graduates? Leave them in the comments and I will share them with my students!

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