In honor of Hannah’s high school graduation this coming Sunday, this week’s Ten On Tuesday is 10 Things You Would Tell a High School Graduate. Are you listening, Hannah?
- Congratulations! I’m proud of you! You worked hard and you deserve all the credit in the world!
- Get a good summer job. Hannah has one and is very very fortunate.
- Go to college. It would be nice if a high school education was enough to get you into the work force earning a living wage but the truth is that college is pretty necessary to any decent career.
- Enjoy college. It’s hard work but it’s also a lot of fun and you should savor every moment of it.
- Save lots of money. The more you can do without loans the better off you will be 4 years from now.
- Along those same lines, create a budget and learn to stick to it. In other words, live within your means.
- Treasure your high school friends. It’s good to stay in touch but –
- Be open to making new friends when you start college. These are the friendships that will last for the rest of your life.
- Know who you are. To thine own self be true! Don’t compromise your values or morals for anyone.
- Be open to the things life brings your way. We don’t know what the future holds but the best advice I can give is to enjoy the ride!
I’m really looking forward to reading everyone’s posts today – and you can be sure I’ll make Hannah read them, too!
You are giving her the best advice a mother and friend can give. I hope she takes it to heart.
My comment is from the perspective of having taught at a university for ten years, and last year “retired.” Two weeks ago my former boss called me to ask if I would come back…
Hannah, don’t skip class. It is almost impossible to recreate what happens in the classroom (even if the notes are posted online). I can say without hesitation that the students who excelled were the ones who were always in class.
I think that the most successful people I’ve known are the ones who have figured out how to excel at things they don’t like to do. If you have a class that you don’t like, I would recommend that you approach it with a creative heart, and figure out a way that will ensure that you engage and master the material. Consider it practice for the future – a lab – when you have a job that you adore but have some responsibilities that you hate to do.
I would also recommend that you become interested in some type of service to the community that “speaks to you.” I guarantee that the rewards for all concerned will be incredible.
I am hoping that your education never ends – that college will be the fabulous experience that it is meant to be, and that you will fall in love with learning, if you haven’t done so already!
Best wishes, Hannah!
Great advice Carole. And congratulations Hannah!
Excellent! I haven’t written my post yet, but we definitely agree on #1. In fact all of them are good. I like Denise’s comment too. Keep your mind open, and learning will always walk in (except when it decides to just smack you upside the head).
Listen to your mother, Hannah. She’s a smart cookie. And travel every chance you get. Someone finds a cheap flight to Italy, join them. An opportunity to study for a semester in England? Take it. Congratulations!
I suggest that you join a club or an organization associated with the college, Hannah. You’ll meet people you might not otherwise and it will give you the opportunity to do things outside of the regular classroom setting.
One of our sons was in the biking (bicycle) club and traveled to Utah and another son was in the crop judging team and went to Missouri & Chicago. 3rd son just wouldn’t join. He was finishing college in 4 years if it killed him. No outside distractions for him! But the 1st 2 sons have things they still talk about today.
What a wonderful post! I’m sure that Hannah will take it all to heart, she’s a smart cookie just like her Mom 🙂 And remember … Westfield has a Circle K Club, so go and check them out!!
Something I wish I had understood better heading off to college. No matter how carefully you’ve selected your school/major, you may find it isn’t ‘the one’ for you. This is not a permanent choice, and it is not a failure to change either or both of these. Listen to your heart as you go along and be open to new ideas, you may learn about some wonderful skill/talent/gift you have in an area you never dreamed of. I was terribly embarassed to change both major and school, until I had some people tell me then or later they wished they had the courage to do that. You may find your life’s joyous work immediately, or you may need to acquire skills and knowledge along the way before you can see where you belong. Enjoy it all!
Great list! It was fun making mine.
I really like the advice about learning how to do things you really don’t want or like to do—that discipline will help you get over allot of hurdles in life. I would also say to try new things; it is easier to take an art class or be in a play or study a language in a school environment than it will be after you graduate and start working full-time. I am starting a beginning weaving class tonight, and I really envy people who got to study it in college.
Good points, one and all, especially the one about not being afraid to change course when one finds oneself going in a wrong direction. By the way, knitting is a fine way to relax while in college!
Wonderful! I’d have to give this a lot more thought to come up with something more wise and useful – Hannah is a lucky girl to have such a wonderful mom.
Wonderful advice.
Printing this to present to my daughter in a year. Excellent list!
Smile. It makes you seem so much more friendly.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it. Needing help doesn’t make you a failure. It makes you human.
Laugh. It makes life much easier.
Congrats!
Great advice – Hannah’s a lucky girl!
Hannah, congratulations on your graduation! I am wishing you the very best in your future, so I’m going to take a few moments here for advice I could give you. I don’t think I could come up with 10, but let’s see
1. You have a lovely smile and I think maybe that is an indication that you have a good sense of humor. Value that highly- it will get you through many a hard time.
2. Always trust that little voice that tells you something is not quite right about something or someone. It is trying to protect you, and if you foster it, much the better.
3. Along the same line, remember that it’s a woman’s prerogative to change her mind. Don’t let anyone pressure you into doing something that your inner voice is unsure of, even if you agreed to it beforehand. Be sure- as much as possible.
4. Don’t be so hard on yourself- one of the biggest tasks any of us can face is being our own true friends.
5. Study as much as you need to but remember to have fun too. You are going to met wonderful new friends, and of course you still will treasure you old friends.
6. Love is the most powerful force in the Universe. Love big, but since you are also loving yourself (see 4) you will be safe in the world, even when it hurts a bit.
7. I suppose regret has its place but don’t give a very large place in your life- go for the gusto and then you won’t look back someday and think ‘what if?’.
Okay, that’s all, and I hope these help in some small way. You are a beautiful young woman and in my experience that means that you might not be able to even see that about yourself. Some people will be jealous, but you can’t be responsible for that. Just keep your heart true and enjoy the ride! (okay, I suppose I could number a couple of those last sentences and maybe make it to 10!)
My advice? Call your mother. She misses you.
Great advice for Hannah!
Terrific advice! Be you! Study hard, have fun, make new friends, treasure your old friends, get involved, do things, open your horizons, be adventurous and daring — and careful and safe. Congratulations, Hannah!
Congratulations Hannah, My daugher is a graduating high school senior also. Yesterday she got a graduation card in the mail and with it was enclosed a piece of paper with the following advice. I have no idea who Mr. G is (or was) but he was wise….. Sue.
Mr. G’s 10 thoughts for a happy and productive life.
1. Always say please and thank you. You will get further being polite. People appreciate good manners.
2. Take time to lie on your back and watch the clouds. Use your imagination, dream, and take time for yourself. Use time to reflect.
3. Pick up after yourself. Take responsibility. Usually the things that happen to you are because of some action that you have taken. So own what you do, don’t blame others, be accountable for yourself.
4. Practice forgiveness. Learn to say you’re sorry. As I have told many of you, sometimes it’s good to apologize even when you aren’t wrong. Saying sorry takes away anger. It’s hard to be mad when someone says sorry. Life isn’t always fair; in fact, life is hard more often than it is easy, so having the ability to forgive makes things a big easier. It’s wasted energy to stay angry. So forgive others.
5. Be kind and gentle. There is enough mean out there. Pet your dog, give somebody a hug, listen and be a compassionate person.
6. Be a friend. My Dad once told me that I would be a lucky man if I had 5 good friends in my life. A true fiend is one that you can rely on. Value your friendships because they are priceless.
7. Be honest. You may have wealth and fame, but if people can’t count on you, you have nothing. If what you say means nothing , your life will be lonely and you will have few friends. Your integrity is your most important asset. Be courageous in your beliefs.
8. Take risks. Don’t ever be afraid to try new things. The worst thing that could happen is that you might fail, but hopefully you will learn from your mistakes. Keep stretching yourself, learn new things, and never settle for less.
9. Always keep a part of you that is a child. You need to play and act silly. Life doesn’t always need to be so serious. Sometimes life is difficult so take time to enjoy things, laugh and be spontaneous. See the joy in things.
10. This is my most important piece of advice. Show up every day. 90% of life is showing up. If you don’t show up you may miss out. You never know what opportunity is waiting for you. If you aren’t prepared, that opportunity will pass you by.
That is a great list. Congratulations!
Congratulations Hannah, My daugher is a graduating high school senior also. Yesterday she got a graduation card in the mail and with it was enclosed a piece of paper with the following advice. I have no idea who Mr. G is (or was) but he was wise….. Sue.
Mr. G’s 10 thoughts for a happy and productive life.
1. Always say please and thank you. You will get further being polite. People appreciate good manners.
2. Take time to lie on your back and watch the clouds. Use your imagination, dream, and take time for yourself. Use time to reflect.
3. Pick up after yourself. Take responsibility. Usually the things that happen to you are because of some action that you have taken. So own what you do, don’t blame others, be accountable for yourself.
4. Practice forgiveness. Learn to say you’re sorry. As I have told many of you, sometimes it’s good to apologize even when you aren’t wrong. Saying sorry takes away anger. It’s hard to be mad when someone says sorry. Life isn’t always fair; in fact, life is hard more often than it is easy, so having the ability to forgive makes things a big easier. It’s wasted energy to stay angry. So forgive others.
5. Be kind and gentle. There is enough mean out there. Pet your dog, give somebody a hug, listen and be a compassionate person.
6. Be a friend. My Dad once told me that I would be a lucky man if I had 5 good friends in my life. A true fiend is one that you can rely on. Value your friendships because they are priceless.
7. Be honest. You may have wealth and fame, but if people can’t count on you, you have nothing. If what you say means nothing , your life will be lonely and you will have few friends. Your integrity is your most important asset. Be courageous in your beliefs.
8. Take risks. Don’t ever be afraid to try new things. The worst thing that could happen is that you might fail, but hopefully you will learn from your mistakes. Keep stretching yourself, learn new things, and never settle for less.
9. Always keep a part of you that is a child. You need to play and act silly. Life doesn’t always need to be so serious. Sometimes life is difficult so take time to enjoy things, laugh and be spontaneous. See the joy in things.
10. This is my most important piece of advice. Show up every day. 90% of life is showing up. If you don’t show up you may miss out. You never know what opportunity is waiting for you. If you aren’t prepared, that opportunity will pass you by.
I read this same list on a different blog. Must be something that is being passed around.
🙂
That is a great list!