To the Class of 2016

I should be graduating this Saturday with the rest of the class I started my higher education journey with. But being removed from the collegiate world for the past year, I've gotten the chance to sit in the stands & watch from an outsider's perspective. I've watch them marvel in the glory of their true senior year for the past nine months. They've won awards, been placed & voted into valuable leadership positions, made a difference on campus & on their sports fields, staff members have sung their praise, underclassmen have followed their lead, & what a great year it has been for my former classmates. I could not be more proud of them for the difference their presence on this campus for the past four years.

I graduated a full year ahead of them, & yes, part of me wishes that this would be the year I would get to receive my diploma but the entire Reston me is so glad I didn't spend the last month cramming for papers, tests & projects. Sorry, but I'm not sorry.

& to the class I started with, I want to offer some advice about the new world you're about to jump head first into.

1. Things are going to change.

It's okay to be scared. It's still acceptable to cry on the phone to your mom. It's okay to blast your car radio and go on a drive. It's okay to still be young. But be ready for change. You won't notice it at first, but one day you'll wake up to find a whole new perspective of yourself. Use that perspective as your motivation to keep going, to keep pushing. 

2. It is okay to say no to a job offer.

Trust me, I've been there & you don't have to take that first job that's put on your plate. This is your life, you get to make choices now, & you can choose whether or not you want to take this job, whatever it may be. But don't assume something will just fall into your lap, keep your options open & put out your resume and fill out applications. But do something that you're interested in. Eventually something will come up. Eventually something will feel right. Trust yourself, know your strengths, talk yourself up in interview, don't be shy. You deserve the best, don't sell yourself for anything short of that.

3. It is okay for you to want more.

Don't live outside of your means, but take the opportunities that are placed in front of you. Go see a musical, take a mission trip, try an internship. Allow yourself a little leeway cash, you don't always have to spend it, but save it up for a night out or just a new outfit.

4. Get a credit card (if you don't already have one).

I managed to only use money I had in a savings account during my college years, but little did I know that by just having a single credit card I could have been building up my credit to help get a better loan for my first real big girl purchase, a car, which will soon turn into a house loan, or a property loan, or a business loan. Building credit is so important, & I don't think that it is stressed enough, but be careful not to build debt. Make your card a single or double item only card, like gas and groceries. Necessities, not wants. 

5. Set a budget.

You are now entering the world of money. You are about to really see how much living costs. You are about to spend a whole lot of money, on very little things. & trust me, things can rack up quickly. It may not seem like it, but college was the cheapest you are going to live. Endless AC, water & electricity. Free garbage pick up & wifi (even if you weren't always satisfied with it). So be smart. Don't take hour long showers & you don't need AC to survive. Your new digs don't have to be top shelf quality, because most likely you will move, & then move again. Save yourself the cash & don't cash out on small decor items, get the basics & leave it at that for now until you really begin to settle yourself. Become a temporary minimalist. Take into mind, that right now, less is more. Now is the time to start saving money, not spending it.

6. Keep up good habits (or at least start them).

Be positive. Pray. Exercise. 

You're (we're) young. You'll (we'll) be stressed, frustrated, misunderstood, taken for granted, over or under worked & paid. & it's okay. Get that in your head. You are going to be fine. You eventually be successful. It may take you time, more time than you wanted. Don't ever let your success be determined by the amount of money you make or the hours you put in. Keep pushing & soon thing will begin to feel right. 

Pray, because there is a God who is rooting for you, reach out to Him daily. Find your own personal way to praise Him, He will hold you. Even if you feel lonely, lost, scared, He will be there. He has plans, be willing to accept those plans.

Exercise. Because you will gain weight if you just sit around. They say the "Freshman 15" is a thing, well trust me the post-graduation weight is just as real. Set small goals for yourself. Buy a set of weights, follow Pinterest and YouTube workouts; you don't need a gym membership to be in shape. Besides, don't you want to be the one who looks great at all those class reunions?

I promise you'll be okay.

You've all done so many great things already, you've got a great start. You'll go on to be performers, teachers, business leaders, lawyers, parents, spouses. You will go on to help so many people in a thousand different ways that you'd never even planned for. 

Always keep your chin up. Always keep your eyes & heart open.

Happy graduation, my dear friends. I am so proud of you for fighting through this past month of school, I know how much it can suck. But I love you all. Thank you for each holding a special place in my heart.

Peace & love.

B.