Underneath the caps and tassels worn by graduates at Hillsborough High School will be heads full of dreams. To teach, to be an artist, to become a lawyer, to run for president.
And after the celebrations are over, the chairs have been folded and diplomas have been hung proudly on walls, graduates will be in a position to pursue those dreams.
But staying the course will be tough and it will be the responsibility of all students to meet the goals they have set for themselves.
Over their 13 years of school, this year’s seniors have learned about the Depression, algebra and what the inside of a frog looks like. They’ve made friends and memories they’ll likely keep for the rest of their lives.
And they’ve already begun to make decisions about the type of people they eventually will become and where their future lies, a process that will become increasingly important over the next few years.
To this point, the academic careers of graduates have been helped along by teachers, guidance counselors and parents. Class schedules designed to make students better fits for college have largely been designed for them, and options for after-school activities designed to meet the intellectual and physical needs of students have been provided.
That won’t necessarily won’t be the case next year. There are distractions in college. There are parties and fraternities and long-distance relationships and the promise of all things new.
Students will be faced with a variety of choices what classes to take, selecting a major, how to make a living and many decisions will have to be made without the benefit of helping hands.
Navigating through the distractions and making career decisions will be easier if students keep their dreams in sight and their goals in mind.
It’s OK to attend parties or skip the occasional class or to miss home. But too much of that can be a problem.
It’s easy to get distracted academically as well changing majors midway through college because friends are studying something different or because another course of study sounds easier.
These are pitfalls almost any college student will have to navigate through in order to be successful.But the future now is in their hands, and it is up to them to fulfill their wildest dreams. It’s a task made easier if they remember to follow their dreams.
