By Amanda Ciani Photo by rawpixel.com on Freepik.com An Open Letter to the Class of 2025
16 JUNE 2025 | NOLAFAMILY.COM your plans after high school?” Yes, it is annoying. And to be honest, I do not Dear Class of 2025, CONGRATULATIONS! You have overcome adversity, put in the hours of hard work and you are now achieving a major life milestone. You should be so proud of yourself, I know I am proud of you too! Receiving a diploma at commencement marks the triumphant start of your transition into adulthood. While you may be overwhelmed with big decisions and everyone’s advice, if you can bear with us, we have four thoughts for you to consider. For starters, please be patient and understand that people generally mean well when they ask you, “What are
understand why people still ask grads this question—most of us “adults” have a hard time planning what we are going to eat for dinner, how dare we expect high school seniors to have their next four plus years planned out to the tee. I believe folks are just trying to make polite conversation, so don’t sweat it too much if you don’t have it all figured out because truly and honestly, most of us are just winging it every day and trying our best. Try to think about the big picture of your life; draw an outline of a plan, and fill in the fun details as you go! If you mess up, that’s what erasers (parents) are for anyhow. Next, I may be going against what you have been taught your whole life, but
give talking to strangers a try. Use your best judgment and be safe, obviously, then get out there and meet new people face-to-face. You never know who you may meet and how they could change your life! Learning what you like (and don’t) in other people and being introduced to the world’s diverse cultures can help shape you into a more well-rounded, interesting human being. Getting out of your comfort zone to really connect with other people can help you build a wide range of relationships including acquaintances, co-workers, mentors, lifelong friends, partners, and more. Sure, it may be a little scary at first, but practice makes perfect. I do have a note on the serious business
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