It’s that time a year again: high school seniors are graduating soon and beginning to make a decision on what they’ll do next year. Some know exactly what they’re going to do with their lives, while others have no clue. Most people are glad to be graduating, but others wish they could have the past four years back. No matter what you decide to do next year, we are here to offer some bits of advice as you make the post-high school transition.
1. Be prepared to work harder than you ever did in high school.
No one in life is going to hand you anything. For those of you going to college, professors are going to expect you to learn a lot on your own and to get extra help if you don’t understand what is going on in the class.
2. Don’t use your brain as your planner.
You will never be able to prioritize or organize what you need to get done if you don’t write it down somewhere. Whether it’s a planner, a piece of paper, or your phone, write it down somewhere.
3. The syllabus for a class will either be your best friend or your worst enemy.
Professors often put important dates and assignments here that they want you to know beforehand. Most professors abide by their syllabus very well, and will expect you to abide by it as well.
4. It’s okay to not know what you want to do with your life.
Believe it or not, a lot of people leave high school having no clue what they want to major in or spend the rest of their lives doing. It’s okay to take some time to try and figure that out, whether it be by going to college and taking general classes or by doing all sorts of jobs post-high school until you finally find a good fit for yourself.
5. Use your time wisely.
Make time for and try to balance everything and everyone in your life.
6. Write down anything you want to do with your life.
We know it sounds crazy, but you won’t regret it when you’re able to cross those things that you want to do off of your list.
7. Sometimes things won’t go exactly as you plan.
Sometimes there will be unexpected bumps in the road. When this happens you’ll have to take a step back for a moment and think about what you can do to continue moving forward.
8. Enjoy the rest of your senior year.
Go to that final sports game. Go to your senior prom or dance. Go to every senior event and have fun while doing so. The memories that you make with your friends at these events will last a lifetime.
And as Dr. Seuss says “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go…”