Six Things I've Learned Since Graduating High School

Tuesday marked three years since I graduated high school.

Sometimes I still can't believe that I'm a high school graduate. That I went to Florida and walked down the aisle with approximately 400 other homeschool grads and had one of the best weeks ever.

This week I'm feeling kind of nostalgic. And since it's graduation season, I want to share with you a few things I've learned since graduating high school.

I read these books during my vacation to Florida when I graduated.

TIME GOES BY REALLY FAST.

Like, super fast. I felt that when I found myself walking across a stage in a cap and gown, and I feel it today, exactly three years later.

I barely felt like I was a teenager for five minutes.

I stop and think sometimes about the fact that I'm twenty-one, out of school, and have a job. It's still so surreal to me.

I WISH I WOULD HAVE TRIED HARDER.

The last year or two of high school was pretty hard. I had a hard time keeping up with all my work and still having a life. As a result of that, I put subpar effort into some things. Fortunately I didn't get bad grades my senior year, but I know I could have made them better. And if I could change one thing about my high school years, that might be it.

I TOOK IT FOR GRANTED.

It's natural; you spend all your school years longing for the day when you're out of school. Nothing wrong with that. But now I realize that I 100% took it for granted.

I was homeschooled. That means I got to sit at home all day in the comfort of my room and work at my own pace. I didn't get to sleep in every day, but I didn't have to get up early. I had the opportunity to spend more time with my family than kids in public school did. Now I'm gone all day five days a
week and I feel like I don't get nearly enough time at home.

And even off the homeschool spectrum... being a student holds a higher level of comfort than having a job and working forty hours a week. At least for me.

LIFE IS SCARY.

Once you've graduated, there are all these looming responsibilities in front of you. Get a job. Go to college (if you so desire). Learn how to adult. It's a lot of pressure and it happens really fast, and it's intimidating! Maybe even downright terrifying.

BUT NOT TOO SCARY.

Because once I learned how to cope, it wasn't as bad as I thought. Still scary, but possible. And that's
all that matters.

I CAN DO IT.

I'm not the only person who's ever had to do this before. I'm not incapable. And I'm not as awkward and uncertain as I thought. Am I still those things? Oh, yes. Absolutely. But hey, I didn't think I could do it and now I can. That's all I can ask for.

And now, when I'm at work basically running the place (okay, maybe a slight exaggeration) and working my way up? Yeah, I never thought I'd think this was so easy. But here I am, as if I was never afraid of getting a job at all.

So for all of you who maybe are still in high school, or getting ready to graduate, and are looking at the future like it's a big scary blackhole... take heart. It's not that bad. Take a deep breath, allow yourself to mess up, and trust God that He'll carry you through. Because if it wasn't for Him, I'd still probably be in the fetal position wishing I could time travel back to the age of eight.

Also, here are a few songs I listened to over and over during my senior year:

"Brave Souls" was kind of what I considered the theme of my graduation trip. I was ecstatic to be done with school, but terrified to move on. So I listened to this song and tried my best to be a brave soul.

I got through. I'm where I am today, and I pray you get there too.