Attention Graduating High School Seniors: These Lessons Can Change Your Life

Congratulations! You made it and you couldn't be more proud (and relieved) to finally be graduating high school.
No more endless note-taking day-in and day-out.
No more begging for Friday to arrive so you can catch up on sleep and then start back over on Monday.
THAT life will shortly be over. You, my friend, have a lot of learning and growing to do.
Let's face it...You're officially categorized as an "Emerging Adult". Congrats.
I would like to share with you some of the lessons I learned after graduation. These tips are SO important and will help you become all that you believe you can be and more, while also becoming a more genuine and grounded person.

1) Go read Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss

"Kid, you'll move MOUNTAINS"

Seriously, go read this book. On the night of my graduation, I was brought to tears as someone read this aloud to me and my class. Some of the most beautiful lessons this life has to offer can be found in children's literature. So, step one, read this book. After all..."you have brains in your head and feet in your shoes...you can steer yourself any direction you choose".

2) Listen to your mom. She was right about everything all along

Mom nagged at me.

Mom griped at me.

Mom repeated the same dang argument in 100 different word combinations.

And then I got to college. 

One of the many lessons mom taught me was "If they will talk about other people with you, they will talk about you with other people". Basically, gossipers don't cease to exist once you hit college and they aren't to be trusted as friends. 

Did your mom ever tell you to brush your hair or fix your posture? Yeah, that was eye roll-worthy in high school. But in college, networking with adults is real and if you look ragamuffin all the time, you will surely injure not only the impression you give others but your self esteem as well. 

3) Daddy is still going to wipe away the tears

You may have shot up like a weed. Your chubby cheeks may have hollowed out some. You may use relatively impressive adult-like vocabulary (consequentially awe-inspiring). 

But you are still daddy's little girl (or boy...).

You may be grown up, but there will be break-ups (not just in relationships. Friendships break too).

There will be absolutely fascist, unfair professors.There will be bad tests. There WILL be bad interviews (or auditions, in my case). No matter what happens, your daddy is still going to pick you back up and wipe away those tears.

Be grateful for your parents if you have them. It brings them so much joy to see you happy and free. Please take time to thank and give back to them because loving you as much as they do is surely exhausting.

4) True friends are not found overnight

First of all, shout out to Friends and Netflix for being the truest friends of all in college.

I digress.

Post high school life is vast and potential friends are everywhere. You may decide to be someone else and alter your personality to fit into a certain group that you find appealing. And that's okay. But here's the thing, guys...friendships built on fake ground simply can't last. You HAVE to be yourself. And it's going to be tempting. You are going to feel alone at first when you don't really know where you belong yet. Whatever you do, don't rush into a friendship because you are feeling lonely. Be patient and be yourself. If you do that, true friends will find you. This is so important.

5) Real life is not like these Tumblr pictures.

This one took me a little time to learn, but I'm so glad I know this now.

PSA: Real life does not look like this:

You and your best friend aren't going to look like this: 

Yeah, admittedly these are nice photos. And sure, you are going to do fun things with your friends that FEEL this glamorous. But seriously guys, nothing in real life looks this perfect. 

I had a problem after graduating high school because I literally expected life to be like a Tumblr post. Cute and sunny and perfect. And then things ended up being....not quite that. At all. But I realized that Tumblr is just unrealistic. No one looks like that all the time!

Here is an example of what REAL people look like (no filters, no nothin'): 

Some of my best friends Anna and Noah being silly <3

Me and my friends Ashley and Savannah on a snow day

Okay, so, glamorous? No not really. It's not perfect. It's not like, sunny and our hair/make-up is not exactly flawless. But this is what REAL life looks like. Real laughter, real fun...it's not something you pose for, guys. The sooner you let go of the idea that everything has to be "Tumblr Worthy", the sooner you will see the beauty in your real, natural life. Never set expectations as unrealistic as a Tumblr photo. Just don't.

6) Drink coffee

You don't drink coffee yet? 

You will. 

7) Invest in the following: sticky notes, Thank You cards, and a planner

Sticky notes, because that thing you're forgetting you forgot already and it's due tomorrow but you forgot what time.

Thank You cards, because it means a lot to someone when you notice their good deed, or when you show them that you are grateful.

A planner because see previously mentioned "Sticky Notes"

8) Last but not least, make a habit out of having a good attitude

Emerging Adulthood is stressful, tricky business. It's so easy (and tempting) to become wrapped up in yourself...your to-do list, your schedule, your money, your time...And this can do major damage to you! Don't let yourself become the guy that always complains or the girl who only gossips all day long. How, you ask?

Take 10 minutes or less every morning to tell yourself what kind of person you are going to be that day.

"Today I am going to be selfless. I am going to put the needs of my friends and family before my own today. I am going to smile and laugh, despite how much I have to do. I am going to take time out to have lunch with (insert friend)." That's an example of some things you can tell yourself every morning.

Setting a goal to be a more positive person is all it takes to step towards a happier life, despite the stress you are sure to face.

Alright everyone, that's all for today! Thank you SO much for reading, and good luck out there seniors! If you enjoyed this post, please share on social media. I would love to see my blog grow!

Love always, Hannah