Dear Class of 2015

Graduations can come with mixed emotions. For someone in a job like mine or anyone who has a job working with students, it can feel difficult to watch students leave year after year while I stay put. But I'm reminded that graduations come with hope and promise, leaping into a new phase of life and transition into new places God is calling them.

So in the wake of graduation season, I have 5 pieces of advice for the class of 2015 (from the class of 2010).

1) You're entering another season of firsts 
Something I did a lot when I graduated was thought about every "last" I was going to have. The last time I attended class, the last Large Group, the last small group, the last time I'd visit Nautical Bean, etc. I was scared of "ending" but was missing how I was stepping into a new "beginning". Every transition has both its lasts and its first. Remember the first college class? Or the first paper you wrote? Or your first roommate that wasn't a family member? What comes with graduating doesn't have to be a series of lasts but a new season of firsts. This is exciting and scary but it's joyful to enter into a season where new things are happening. There are new jobs and new cars and new apartments and new friends and new cities. But this is the season where you'll experience holding your newborn for the first time or first becoming a member of a church or first getting that promotion at work. As you enter into this season, enjoy all the new things you'll get to do and looking back at college will be like remembering all the firsts you had then (rather than your lasts).

2) College friends change but that's not a bad thing
This was the scariest thing for me. It was difficult to reconcile everyone "leaving" each other to do new things. No longer would I live five minutes from my friends who I could call last minute to hang out. Our relationships post-college look different than they do during, but that's not always a bad thing. Some friends you'll grow closer to after you graduate, some friends will go in and out of your life but they feel like they are always there. However things will look during this time, remember that your friends from college have had an influence on your life. That's something to celebrate. And this is where you can be so grateful for technology - Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, FaceTime, texting, and the like to keep in touch with people who don't live down the hall from you any more. Plus you get to talk about things other than papers and homework. Grown up stuff like what you want to watch on Netflix after work!

3) This is the season you'll grow a ton
Transition can feel hard and scary. Transition can feel exciting and new! Whether going to grad school or the working world (or the unknown), you'll take on a lot more responsibility. Showing up late to class is a whole lot different than showing up late to work. But with this increased responsibility, there is a greater chance to grow. I used to think that all my "growing up" was done in college, but actually it was just a preparation for the intense amount of growth that has happened in this post college season. I learned much more about myself, about Jesus, and about community in this season.

4) Making new friends is hard 
I have a whole blog post dedicated to this but the short version is: it's kind of awkward to do. It takes a lot longer than it seemed to in college and that is ok. You'll make new friends. It will happen. As much as we want to live life like How I Met Your Mother or Friends it probably won't happen. But if you do live a above a coffee shop or a bar - I'm so coming to live with you.

5) It's ok if you don't have it all figured out 
It's easy to want to have your live nicely figured out when you graduate. But you may not know what you want to do. It make take a couple of jobs to figure it out. You may not be ready to do what you are called to do yet. It may take a couple of moves to find out where you want to live. This is the time to explore! Instead of stressing out about not having figured out your life, this is literally the time to doing the figuring it out. Submit yourself to Jesus and see where he will lead you. Just focus on one step at a time. Take risks, explore new places (even if you live in the same town, go to that new coffee shop or cupcake place), read books, blog, serve others, write, take photos - do things that bring you joy. This is the time to figure out what you are passionate about and how to let Jesus use that passion for his kingdom.