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Ten years ago today... I graduated from high school. I couldn't imagine what today would be like, and if I tried... it probably wouldn't be anything like it is today.
As I take a few minutes to reflect, it seems like so long ago, but just yesterday at the same time.
I remember the uncertainty, the feeling of potential, and the excitement to enter the "real world". Looking back at things, I think I recognize the naivety of my old thinking.
It's refreshing, and it feels good... to see how much has changed.
I look back with fond memories, and feelings of nostalgia, but also... great hope and potential for the future.
In this post, I write about a few things I've learned since... and I hope it's helpful to anyone that is in a similar position to my 17 year old self at the time!
1. If you think when people grow up, they are "adults" and have it all figured out... you're WRONG!
I used to look at adults like a different species. I thought they somehow knew everything and that one day, I'd be an adult and know everything too.
What I can tell you, now as an adult... is that I do not know everything and dealing with adults much older than myself, neither do they. In fact, I think its important to realize this sooner than later... and never stop learning!
We all go through this one time, and one time only. We don't have a chance to do a practice run, and it's everyone's first and last day in that exact phase of their life.
Tip: Don't discount yourself or your capabilities because of your age, but also realize... that you do not, in fact know everything and never will.
2. My friends and I will be friends... forever! -- WRONG! (Kinda)
I remember being younger, being with my parents and them running into an old friend. It always amazed me how surprised they would be to see them.
It made me think, why do friends... no longer see each other? I see my friends everyday! I used to think that my friends and I would always stay in touch... and things would be different. I was wrong!
At points in my life, I had many friends. Now, I have few close friends. Many, I have not seen in years...most people I once knew, I do not even talk to at all.
It's not that I no longer care about them, vice versa. Life comes with so much more responsibility, and over time...people have to start focusing on themselves. High school was a place where a couple hundred people around your age gather daily. That's not what happens later down the line. Things will change.
Tip: Don't stress it too much, you will naturally make more friends... and the ones that matter will be there. When it comes to friendships... it's about quality over quantity!
3. Some things are really "not a phase, mom".
There was a time where skinny jeans, headbands, neon band tees, and weird colored hair was a thing.
Screamo, emo, nevershoutnever!, crab-core and every other type of "core" was the music of choice.
Ok, maybe some of those things were just a phase... (If it sounds like a weird time, it's because it was).
Enjoy all the fun, weird, crazy times... do you, and don't care too much about what people think is cool.
In a few years, most of them won't even remember you.
You are stuck with yourself, your whole life, so do what makes you happy!
There's a quote that goes:
“In your 20’s and 30’s, you worry about what other people think. In your 40’s and 50’s you stop worrying about what other people think. Finally in your 60’s and 70’s, you realize they were never thinking about you in the first place!”
Tip: Some things change, and others don't. Don't waste your time or energy stressing about either. And most especially... don't care too much about what other people think!
4. High school can be a crazy place... but so is the rest of the world.
There was a band, Bowling for Soup, that I used to listen to. One of their songs "High School Never Ends" was one of their more popular songs. I never understood it, until I got a bit older. -- If you like pop punk, you should go listen to it.
High school can be rough, but so is the rest of life. If you think people get nicer after high school.... most don't. You just learn how to deal with it better.
Grow thicker skin, and learn not to take things too personally.
Tip: Remember that how people treat you is a reflection of them, how you react is a reflection of you. Keep an open mind, and learn new things every day.
5. Don't stress over FOMO...
I graduated from high school on a Friday, and went to work full time the following Monday. There wasn't really any time to pause. The following weekend... I remember sleeping from Friday evening until Sunday afternoon! My body had no idea what a full time job entailed.
My friends and my classmates were going to the beach, spending time together and seemed to be having so much fun now that school was out. A few years later... same thing, people having fun, but add in alcohol and sweaty & dark nightclubs.
For years, it felt like a bummer. I had points of major FOMO (fear of missing out). Everyone my age around me seemed to be having so much more fun.... and it was because they were.
I'm not saying you shouldn't have fun, and that you need to bury yourself in a hole for the next few years.... but what I can say is that everything comes with a cost... and you have to have confidence that the way you choose to spend your time, is how you really want to be spending it.
I gave up a lot in my early twenties, and I see others who had a ton of fun. We are in different positions, and neither is right or wrong. Neither is better or worse. It's all part of life, and the decisions that we make.
Have conviction about this, and don't pity yourself for any of your decision!
Looking back, I realize how much energy I wasted worrying about missing out on things.... fast forward to today, and I'm doing exactly what I want to, everyday!
Sure, I could have probably been a little easier on myself... but it was all worth it. Trust your gut, worry about yourself, and have confidence in your decisions!
Tip: You pay now, or you pay later. We only have so much time to spend, and bandwidth to spare... make sure you balance what you want today, for what you want tomorrow. Vice Versa.
6. When they say you won't be young forever... they were right.
Being a 17 year old guy, I felt invincible. I think most young guys do, to some extent.
I could sleep for a couple hours, go to the gym for three hours with my friends, eat anything I wanted, chug a Four Loko, and do it all over again! lol
I guarantee you, if you haven't already, there will come a day... where you realize you are not invincible. Take care of yourself, it's all you got. Nowadays, I value my health a lot more... but there's always room to improve.
Tip: Take care of your mind and your body, and it will take care of you.
7. As much as you try to plan your future, your plan will change.
There were a lot of times, where I felt uncertain and uneasy about the future. No one can predict the future... and as much as you try to plan for it, things will change. Stressing over things you can't control are a waste of energy.
There would be days where I'd stress for an entire day, over something I had no control over. What a waste!
As much as we try to plan the best we can, sometimes... you just have to roll with it. 
It took me some time, to stop worrying about the future... and instead focusing on putting myself in the best position I can to try and deal with what comes my way.
Tip: As long as you have a general direction... keep going, keep learning & be adaptable!
8. When you hit a goal, nothing will change. It's about The Journey.
When you fixate yourself on a goal, or think... the future will be different once you achieve this thing... The reality is it wont. You will still be the same person you always were.
I used to play this game called Runescape. It was an MMORPG game, and was one of my obsessions when I was younger. You train your character, gain XP, level up your skills, do quests and obtain cool in-game items (Kinda like NFTs today? lol)
When you achieved a new level in the game, there would be a brief message... and an animation that popped up over your character for a couple of seconds... and thats it. Back to what you were doing... same character, same game, nothing really changes.
What I didn't realize then, but do now... is that's kind of how achieving things in life are. There's a brief moment of glee, but it will quickly fade away.
It's not about achieving the goal, it's about the process of pursuing it. The value in achieving the goals that you set out, is not what you obtain at the end, but what you learn and experience along the way.
Tip: Enjoy learning new things, advancing your skills... you probably don't even know what you don't know yet... so soak it all in!
9. The time will pass, faster than you think... So just do it.
I used to think about wanting to do certain things... but being discouraged because of how long it would take. What I've learned is the time will pass, before you know it... so just do it.
This one is short, but simple. I used to waste a lot of time, mulling over ideas... its a waste of time!
An imperfect plan started today is better than a perfect plan started tomorrow. Action breeds results!
Tip: JUST DO IT!!!
10. Time Flies... Make it Count!
Ten years has flown by quicker than I think I even realize. I have a few white hairs, my left elbow always mildly aches, and I actually need to sleep a few hours a night like a normal human being. Yeah, I didn't think I'd be in this position either... but you will too. 
Reflecting on these past ten years, reminds me of the impermanence of this life. There's no trial run, you go through this thing once, and that's it. We can't waste time... it's the one thing none of us can make more of.
Tip: Don't use this as an excuse to "let loose", because that comes with consequences too... Think about what you really want for yourself, now just right now... but in the long term. Vice versa!
It's been a crazy ten years.... and here's to the next. I've said this at the highest and lowest points... but I believe it to be true, always.... The best is yet to come!
