I am going to be honest- I’m not very emotional about graduating. I feel like most kids my age are having difficulty with the reality of leaving high school and progressing in life. However, I see it as just that: Progression!

We are always made for bigger things. I feel like I have been ready to move on for awhile now and the time is finally here. I have loved going to school at Pitman for the past four years, but there’s a whole new world out there to explore- I am ready!

Being a high schooler is definitely not an easy feat, with so much stress, work, and time put into these four years of life. I hope that I do not add too much onto this stress for the younger student body with promises of a brighter future, so here are some of my ideas on how to go to where you need to be going.

• Get a Job: No, this is not fun necessarily. Having a job can add more onto a student’s workload and make having fun seem impossible at times. That being said, having a job teaches so many responsibilities like having to get there on time and how to apply yourself to your job. At the end of the day, having a job will benefit you so much and you’ll be able to start saving money for the future! (Postnote: Please save your money!)

• Figure out what you want to do and how to do it now: Not to be offensive, but this whole “You don’t have to figure out what you want to do now” mentality is a load of bull. Knowing what you want to be and do one day is crucial in your planning now. Figuring these important things out now may be difficult, but I can promise that in the long run it will help immensely. Having plans for a future career or schooling will help you strive for something bigger, figure out what schools or programs you want to go into, and give you peace of mind in the waves of college applications and uncertainties.

• Know your limits and break them!: People are always capable of pushing forward more. Just as in evolution and human history, we were not made to be a comfortable people. Humans are naturally restless- embrace that! Keep going forward and becoming the best you you can be! Carpe diem!

I would just like to say thank you to everyone and everything that has gotten me to this place in my life. I can guarantee that if you try to employ these ideas into your life, they will help you in the long run! Thank you, valuable and must loved readers!