A few words for our graduates…

Each May marks a tremendous milestone for hundreds of area youth, as they cross the stage and go from high school student to adult with the flip of a tassel.

Students from Twin Rivers and Neelyville did this last week, Puxico and Dexter last night, and Poplar Bluff in just a couple of weeks.

It is a time of bittersweet celebration for parents faced with the prospect of packing up teens and delivering them to colleges, new workplaces or the military.

It is also a time when so many possibilities and opportunities are within reach.

As our area graduates look ahead to what we hope are only the brightest of futures, the staff of the Daily American Republic would offer a few words of advice.

• Don’t be afraid or ashamed to choose a job or trade school instead of college. College is not for everyone and you should be proud that you’ve made it this far. Find a career you enjoy.

• Pick a major within the first two years of college, you don’t want to waste your time or money. Take it seriously.

• Step out of your comfort zone. Trust us, in adult life you are forced to get out of your comfort zone all the time, so take this opportunity to prep yourself for it.

• The first few years in college are the most crazy, stressful and fun times in your life. Live it and enjoy it. One day you will look back and miss it.

• A positive attitude will carry you farther in any endeavor than finding fault without offering solutions.

• Don’t sell your youth short. But you will some day be retired and the goal is to enjoy your retirement. If able, start planning for that retirement as soon as possible.

But most of all, amidst all of the many words of wisdom offered here, at home, at school and at celebrations, we hope that you will find your own voice.

The world offers so many opportunities for others to like, post and comment on our activities, that it can sometimes be challenging to hear our own truths. And those are the ones that matter most.

- Daily American Republic