An Open Letter To The Class Of 2015

I sit here a week before my college graduation, excited but nervous for this new chapter in my life. I think about my freshman year, and it’s the same feeling of not knowing what to expect, the fear of the unknown. However, I do know that I’m graduating with incredible people, not only from my college, but from colleges all around the world. To my fellow seniors, this letter is for you.

To my fellow graduates of the class of 2015:

Can you believe it? The day we’ve been working so hard to get to is finally here. Four years of learning in the classroom, hours spent in the library and all those all-nighters; the hard work has truly paid off, and has lead us to this moment — graduation.

I look back and think where did the time go? August 2011, some of us were leaving home for the first time and getting ready to move into a college dorm room preparing to live with someone new. Others were planning their commute for their first day of class. People always would say cherish your time in college, but looking back it’s crazy to think how fast time has actually flown by.

Take a moment and look back at the person you were on the first day of your freshman year and realize how these past four years in college have shaped you to become the person you are today. Did you finish at the same college you started at? Are you still friends with the people you were freshman year? What has changed since then? What remains the same?

Even though our undergraduate college career is ending, it is also the beginning of a new chapter — the rest of our lives. Some of us may be heading to corporate positions, others are taking time to travel and others will continue their education. And for those of you who don’t know what the next step is, it’s okay. Freshman year we didn’t really know what we were getting into, and it turned out okay. I’m a big believer that some of the best things in life that happen are unplanned.

The thought of not having the security and comfort of college is scary. And even though we don’t know where we’ll be in 2 or 4 years, I encourage you to never lose the sight of your dreams. And I hope through every new page you turn in your book, that you continue to dream and dream big. Don’t be afraid to take risks, you’ll never know, if you don’t try and you don’t want to constantly wonder “What if?” Always believe in yourself, even through your challenges, don’t forget that you’ve already accomplished a huge milestone and that you are capable of achieving all of your goals.

President Obama said in a powerful speech that he gave in Selma, Alabama “And it is you, the young and fearless at heart, the most diverse and educated generation in our history, who the nation is waiting to follow.” That quote is talking to us, the class of 2015. We are the young and fearless. There are opportunities that await us. We all come from diverse backgrounds, and each of our story’s are waiting to be heard. We are leaving college with a wealth of knowledge, leaving more educated than we started.

And we are the generation that everyone is looking at, we are the ones the nation is waiting to follow. It is up to us to continue to break barriers, to make a difference, to leave long lasting impressions and lastly to inspire others to do the same.

Class of 2015, we are the future. We are the movers and shakers. We are the next generation of leaders who will go on to change the world.

To the class of 2015, congratulations! We did it! Remember the world is yours.

Sincerely,

A fellow 2015 graduate.