Advice Id Give Myself On Graduation Day

Advice Id Give Myself On Graduation Day If I were to pop onto the football field of my high school to give the 18-year-old version of myself a few words of life and career advice before fearlessly snagging my diploma and heading off to college... Id have a lot to say. For starters, Id tell her toTravel, Travel, Blah Blah BlahLiterally everyone will tell you to travel and study abroad while youre young. And thats awesome advice, andyes you should do that. Of course you should try to do a travel abroad program. Heck, take a year after high school and go see the world before starting college. Go do all of it. But heres the thing Dont let you or anyone else trick you into thinking that these are the precious couple years to travel or you have ruined it for yourself. They will tell you that the older you get, the harder it will become. They will gladly put up walls for you. Dont lose hope in your ability to travel if you dont accomplish it immediately after high school. Travel is not rese rved for the young or the retired. It isyour choice to incorporate it into your life.Growing Up Doesnt Have to Look Like Anything Else But YouWe are taught from a young age what a grownup looks like. And Im sorry, but the quintessential grownup is dull.You are a grownup. The epitome of a grownup is the ability to stay young at heart as you carry on the responsibilities that come your way. I have friends who go to Disneyland every week and dress like mermaids and have funky hair colors, andthatis how to be a grownup. The minute you sacrifice who you are to act the way you think you are supposed to act, you will sacrifice the fire within you. And once you do that, its a slippery slope and it becomes harder and harder to get it back.Partying is Fun and Nothing MoreSure, partying is a rite of passage. I get it. You followed every rule in high school. Didnt have a sip of alcohol. Got straight As. You deserve this. But dont drag it out. Enjoy the parties but dont lose sight of one importa nt thing You cannot numb or hide from who you are at a party. Enjoy the simplicity of it. It is a social event, but dont allow yourself to get lost in it. There are better people and better life experiences out there. I promise you.Change Your Major a mio Times Then Stop CaringFirst off, please do not pick a major as a safe bet. There are no safe bets in terms of college majors. Were all in a rat race that we have to learn how to navigate safely and happily. So with this said, the most unsafe bet is to major in something that you believe will lead to job opportunities. If your heart is happy, you will thrive and be motivated to work harder. The people who make fun of you for wanting to major in theatre are the people who are clueless in terms of how to make money doing it. Also, these are the same people who are primarily money-driven, and they are not worth your time. Trust me. They will suck the life out of you.Its OK to change your major. Its OK to change your mind. The person yo u are in this moment will grow and change so much in the next four years. And thats exciting Allow yourself the room to grow and learn. If you get to a point where you financially cannot change your major again because it will add another years worth of student loans to your list of debt, then please know that that is OK. You are not carving your life in stone with your major. At any point in your life you can change your mind. Right now you are learning the skills to focus on something, and thats great. But dont lose sight of the beauty in changing your mind.Your Gut Instinct is Your Best InstinctEveryone, including the future version of yourself, will think that they know what is best for you. They want you to be happy. They dont want you to hurt. But heres the thing You are radiant right now. Right now as you are. You have huge dreams for yourself and you wear bright colors and you love having fun summer jobs and believe that the happiness you feel in these jobs should be the sam e way you feel about your career. Youre wonderful. The world will try to tear you down and tell you what to think. But please know that your gedeihlich instinct is your compass. Age will try to silence your compass. Dont let it. Its not an act of defiance. Its an act of maturity.--Erika Jenko is a playwright and theme park junkie trying to navigate the magical world of adulting. Also, a YouTuber and blogger at www.subwaymouse.com.Our mission is to help women create the best careers for their lives.Join us to see what people are saying about your company, and pay it forward by sharing your own anonymous tip