Community Corner

Moms Talk Q&A: Advice for 2011 Graduates

Herndon High's seniors graduate next week. What piece of advice would you give them?

Herndon High School's graduation is coming up quickly and on June 17 another class of alumni will walk out of George Mason University's Patriot Center. 

Soon they will be leaving for college, the military, jobs and other adventures. They will learn true independence, what it means to be an adult and that all-night cramming can lead to a comatose state once exams are finished.

Remembering back to when you were 18 years old, what would you tell yourself now? What piece of advice do you wish someone had given you as a young adult? What do you think high school graduates need to know about going into an adult world?

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It's been eight years since my own high school graduation. I would tell graduates to give what they're doing their best.

If you're going to college, give your all and try new things. Join a new club, take a class you're genuinely interested in. Take a chance on rooming with someone you don't know. Some of the girls I ended up being roommates with in college are still my closest friends.

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If you're working to put yourself through school, even though you may spend five hours a day in the classroom, three doing homework and another six at an evening shift (or in my case living in the student newspaper office), remember to try to take care of yourself.

Get sleep. Eat right. Get to the gym, or do whatever exercise you love best. It's hard to prioritize those things, but it's also easy to sacrifice your health in college.

So, moms, dads, Herndon community members—what would you tell our newest Herndon High School graduates? Let us know in the comments.


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