By Mark Carpenter-
It’s the bottom of the ninth, game tied, bases loaded, and you’re up to bat. It’s fourth and goal and the coach is giving you the ball. It’s the last leg of a 100 meter dash and you’re neck and neck with the closest competitor. You’re at the free throw line with no time left on the clock in a tie game. You’re the goalkeeper facing a penalty shot. But what are you really doing- you’re graduating from high school. It only feels like you are in all of those situations.
Now I’m probably not one to give out advice to young people moving out into the cold, cruel world. I might say this- get a job where you don’t have to work day and night unless you really love that job and then it’s perfectly okay. When you walk across that stage to pick up that diploma or whatever it is they hand you these days, your whole world changes in a matter of seconds. It’s time to make decisions, which many of you have already done, about your future.
Your future. Isn’t that a scary thought right now? If someone had told me when I walked across the stage to get my high school diploma that I was going to be where I am right now and doing what I am doing, I would have said they were crazy. That tall and lanky and shy and introverted fellow with the Oscar Gamble afro wasn’t about to stand in front of a crowd and take anyone’s picture or have the nerve to interview anyone. But he could write a little, meanest Pee-Wee basketball recaps The Ripley Bee ever saw. Many of you are going to experience the same thing. What you think you are going to be doing is not what you will end up doing, but that’s perfectly fine. It takes awhile to find what makes you truly happy, so be patient.
For those of you who are going to attend college, savor every moment. If you are fortunate enough to be able to stay on campus, enjoy your freedom, learn to take care of yourself, and have some fun. The college years can be the most memorable of your life, I would certainly love to go back and do about a week of college over- the old “wish I knew then what I knew now” syndrome. Yes I know it’s hard to imagine the 2019 me as a too shy to talk to anyone person, but four years in college took a lot of that out of me. You quickly learn to speak up or you will get left behind. But you can always hope that your college graduation speaker will pay off all of your student loans.
For those of you who are heading straight into the work force- God bless you and go out there and knock ‘em dead. I could do what I am doing now without every having spent a day in college so you making the choice to go to work is good by me, not that you need my approval. There is a large push in education today towards the trade school path and if that’s the path for you, jump on it. Plus, it will make the unemployment numbers look better and we all know who will like that.
Let me be brutally honest with you though, adulthood can be pretty rough sometimes. Ask my daughter if you need evidence of that, she’ll vouch for it. Life is the wildest roller coaster ride on earth, and you don’t get many chances to stop the ride and get off. Things are going to go well for you at times and at times life is just going to plain kick you in the butt. No matter the peaks and valleys, keep your chin up, keep the faith, and realize that we all make mistakes but be sure to take advantage of all the second chances that you’re offered. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, and yes there will be those who will do all they can to make sure you don’t succeed. Beat ‘em!
For now though just enjoy the final stages of your high school life. The people you walk across the stage with are all going to go in separate directions, that’s just the way it is. Savor those friendships, which is so much easier to do now in the world of technology and instant messages. You will soon start to realize that your parents were just looking out for your best interests but now it is your task to go out there and make them proud. The cruel world awaits- conquer it!
