hi beautiful person —
i hope you’re doing so super well right now, and if you aren’t, i hope the summer sunshine and love of the people around you help you get better. you are so deserving of what you’re working for and i hope you accomplish it all.
this past friday was the graduation of my high school seniors and the saturday before that was my brother’s college graduation. so the class of 2023 definitely includes some of my favorite people, and this article is dedicated to all of those amazing individuals and their loved ones.
first and foremost, to my seniors, congratulations! i am so proud of you all for completing this chapter in your life, whether it be high school or college. there’s so much in store for you in the time that’s coming up, and you all will learn, grow, and prosper so much. while i won’t be there directly as i’ve been there up until now, i want you all to know that no matter where you go, you have a support system that’s constantly rooting for you. this means your family, friends, and (of course!) me.
remember that the biggest strength you can have going into the world is the ability to ask for help. if you’re going through it, ask. if you are confused, ask. if you need something small or big, ask. asking takes literally two seconds, and most of the time, if you’re asking the right people, then you will get what you’re looking for. and this skill will continue to help you navigate your life more easily when you’re in a new environment.
you all are going to thrive. you are hard-working and kind-hearted and intelligent and wonderful people and the world is so lucky to have you. so go do what you gotta do. i can’t wait to see where you’re going to take your life!
second, as the school year comes to a close and we’re at a time when we’re not going to see our favorite seniors (or underclassmen) as much anymore, i realized that living in and for the moment is more important now than ever.
i know it’s really really really hard to be able to take a moment, pause, and just be in the present moment for the sake of enjoying it to the fullest because we’re always going to be thinking about what’s to come — not being able to have these moments as much anymore.
but remember that thinking about what’s to come ruins the point of the present moment. if we’re so focused on the fact that we won’t have these moments in the coming days, then we won’t even be able to cherish the memories we could be making with the limited time we do have right now.
and i know (i do, i promise) that this is so much easier said than done. however, instead of thinking about how little of times we’re going to see these people in the future, why don’t we start thinking about those moments as big deals?
“yay! i’m coming back for thanksgiving, we can spend as much time as possible then.”
“our families are literally friends, so why don’t we all just travel somewhere in december?”
“i’ll be back for prom, don’t worry you’re not going alone.”
turning the limited meeting opportunities into the best days of our lives? yes, please. both of my best friends live across the country, but we cherish every minute we have together because we know that we don’t get that experience as often as we want. our generation is also extremely lucky to have access to phones, which means instant communication at basically any time.
through saying this, loves, i want to remind all of us of one more thing: don’t let who you were stop you from becoming who you want to be. graduation is a commencement of a new chapter in our lives. take the experiences and lessons you’ve had up until now and turn them into your greatest weapons. wield them with superiority so you can grow with no limit. it’s okay to let go of some things for the sake of creating a new path for yourself. at the end of the day, you’re here for a reason. and from here on out, it’s in your hands as to how you’re going to get there.
you can do it. i am so proud of you all already. you’ve come so far. take a look in the mirror, smile, breathe, and get ready. hats off for coming this far, and all my love for what’s to come.
love,
apuroopa