Back Forty: To the 2019 High School Graduates

It doesn't seem like it was that long ago. I graduated high school in 1992. Too be blunt I was more focused on that summer, than on any long-term life plans. I didn't graduate with honors, or as valedictorian or salutatorian of my class. I was just a middle of the road student in high school. My class had about sixty graduates. Some I am still friends with many of my classmates to this day, others I haven't seen or heard from since graduation night. If I could go back, I would take more pictures and make plans to stay in touch, especially with the ones you aren't that close to. I've caught myself wondering what happened to some of those I barely knew in school. I wonder where they are, what they do for a living and even if they are still alive.

If I could go back to graduation night and give myself some advice here's what I would say. First, don't ever tell yourself you can't reach a goal. I feel like I cheated myself out of some cool opportunities because I was too chicken to take the first step. So, I would tell myself to go all out chasing my dreams. I think that's a sad thing, to be too afraid to stick your neck out and really go after what you are passionate about. I wish I could make my younger self

understand the many opportunities that are out there. I wish I hadn't missed a calculus test my junior year of college, that screwed up a lot of stuff for me. That one decision, that one day, changed my life forever. It ended up causing me to change my major in college. I've often wondered what different path I would've been on had I taken that test. Often, the smallest decision makes a huge impact.

I've always wanted to go spend a summer in Montana, Idaho or Utah. I wish I would've done that one summer when I was in college, but I always told myself I didn't have the money. There's always going to be something that takes your money. If I had it to do over, I wouldn't let money issues bother me so much. You can always make more. I regret the things I didn't spend money on, and I regret chasing the almighty dollar so much when I was younger. I've had good friends get sick and die within a week or two of finding out something was wrong. They sure weren't wishing they would've put in more hours at work their last few days.

I've been lucky when it comes to work. I've pretty much always had a job I enjoyed. mostly because I was fortunate enough to have parents that told me to go to college so I wouldn't have to spend my life at a job I hated. For the most part, I've always been able to make a living and enjoy my work. College or career tech, whichever path you choose, in my opinion should be used to help you make a living doing something you enjoy or as my parents said, would do for free.

Graduation is the end of being a kid, but it's also the start of becoming an adult. I wish I could go back in time and tell my younger self to have fun, dream big dreams and keep putting one foot in front of the other. The decisions you make over the next few years will shape the rest of your life, it's totally up to you. I had a good time during college, but I wish I would've dared to fight harder for my dreams.