As us seniors approach the end of high school, we begin to look back on not only this past school year, but the past 12 years of school; the struggle of keeping up our grades and our personal relationships, the struggle of waking up early and going to bed late and more. It was all something that we’ve mastered. Now, we are declared ready to face the newfound challenges of what we’ve heard adults call real life. 

Parents often think that they can whip us into shape by using the term “real world” against us. Some of us have unfortunately grown up with this negative stigma towards adulthood imprinted onto our minds. As a child, whenever I heard my parents say “you’re not going to make it in real life,” I panicked. I panicked because my only guides through life hovered over me with this threat. 

The biggest way my parents instilled fear in me was through my education. If I didn’t do well in school, I failed in their eyes. As us teens get older, this pressure from our parents’ words becomes a weight on our shoulders. 

I remember my parents’ pressure. I remember hearing that I am nothing without an education. Now, I am at the finish line, and I have learned that I am more than simply just my education. Being educated is a huge aspect of life, to be sure, but there will always be more. After graduation, everyone is going to set foot onto their path, but we must always remember to stay on our own path. 

College is a go-to for most people. Seeking higher education is a great way to better our skills, but it isn’t for everyone. High school was unfortunately not a priority for me at times. My grades slipped, my mental health spiraled and my odds of getting into a four year school looked so impossible at the time. As time passed, I dusted myself off and started to better myself. I know a lot of students who have suffered as well, but their experiences aren’t the end of the world for them. Educational opportunities will come up when we look for them.

If school isn’t for you anymore, what now? Depending on what you want to do with your life, career opportunities are everywhere. I see many of my peers enlisting in the military, or simply starting from a lower ranked job and working their way up.  

With so many opportunities on the rise, we can never be afraid to put ourselves out there. We never know who we meet at work events, school or elsewhere. One of the most important things that I’ve learned for myself is that connections are everything. Networking can open up many career doors and help us move up in life and in our career. Being a hard worker and showing that you have what it takes will get you far. 

Of course, the balance of work, school and a social life is a difficult skill to master. These next few years are going to be filled with sacrifices and mistakes at every turn. 

On one hand, aspects like new friends, life events, and even love will become more prominent. You’re going to begin to meet people that you can relate to and share experiences with. On the other hand, work will only , school will gradually become more difficult and we will become stressed. We turn to see our friends partying, and turn our back to a research paper or to an urgent work related call that has to be taken care of. You’re torn. Though things may not be to our liking at that moment, it’s important to stay focused and remember that we always have time to do things outside our responsibilities. 

To repeat what I said earlier: stay on our own path. The older we get, the more we will start seeing some of our older friends beginning to make investments, buying homes, having children and settling down. Just know that we don’t have to speed up our life because you’re going slower than others. There will always be people ahead and behind you, and there is nothing wrong with that.

Finally, responsibilities aside, taking care of yourself is the most important thing about adulthood. If you don’t take care of yourself, you’re going to struggle. Taking care of yourself means so much more than showering, eating and sleeping. To really take care of yourself is to check in with yourself. How are you doing? Are you stressed? If so, where is the stress coming from? What have I done to take care of myself recently? Never be afraid to put yourself first. Remember that you matter. 

To the graduating class of 2023, may we push through and learn to love the balancing act of life. Good luck – you’re going to need it.