To the class of 2008:

Dear Graduates,

Today, I would like to offer you a sincere congratulations, as well as a bit of advice. You are about to enter a new stage in your life, and this always brings along a variety of thoughts and emotions.

Many of you feel like this could not come soon enough, while others are nervous at the thought of leaving behind all that they know. Both of these are normal reactions, and I assure you that every graduate before you has had the exact same thoughts. For some, like myself, high school was one of the best times of my life. Unfortunately, I did not see it that way at the time, and I could not wait to graduate and leave the only town I'd ever lived in. As much as you may be tired of your hometown, I promise you that you will reach a point where you not only cherish it, but miss it, as well.

The beauty of graduating high school is that the minute you recieve your diploma, millions of doors open up for you. Think about it, you can choose any road that you wish. Your grades in high school won't matter after you get accepted to your school of choice, and you can leave them in the past. You can leave the people you do not wish to be around behind you, and it's up to you whether you put yourself around these people again. Nobody is kidding you when they tell you that you can be whatever you wish to be. What they don't tell you is that it is going to require you to do a lot of work, planning, thinking, and a little bit of luck. This is the only point in your life when it is perfectly possible to follow these dreams you've been carrying around in your head. I'm telling you, if you want something badly enough, you can always find a way to make it happen. This is the beginning of the rest of your life.

You always hear that after you graduate, you make new friends and leave the old ones in some file of your childhood. This does not have to be true. My very best friends now are dominately people that I was best friends with in high school. These memories that you all have of growing up together will keep you on the phone for hours, no matter how many miles and hours you may be from these people. There is a bond between my group of friends from high school, and no matter how many other friends I make, nothing will ever replace or destroy this bond. It is this way because we all chose to stay close and be significant parts of each other's lives. Like I said, you have every option in the world open to you. If you choose to maintain your friendships, then you will find that they do not disappear into the past at all.

Many of you will now go to college. Those of you coming from Talladega High School, now would be the time to learn how to study. I know that I never had to study for a test until I graduated high school, and it blew my mind. College can either be a breeze or a nightmare, and only you can decide which of those you will choose. I wish I would have had someone to tell me these things, and since I can't go in the past and fix my mistakes, I'd like to give you all a fair warning. If you don't skip class, your grades will reflect it in a positive way. The more you miss, the harder you have to work to make up for it. The majority of your tests will come from the notes you take in class, and so I would advise you to go and pay attention. It may seem long and boring, but it will be worth it when you don't have to explain to your parents why your grades are terrible. Remember that your parents have done a great deal for you, and even though you'll be enjoying your freedom, call them everyday, just so they don't miss you too much. This is a big change for them, too, so don't forget to thank them. If you think about it, college is pretty easy. You choose how early/late your classes are, what you take, which teacher you want, etc. Don't pick your major too early, because no matter how sure you are about it now, chances are high that you'll change your mind at some point. Don't think about your future salary, think about your future happiness. Experience new things while you're a college student, this is the stage in your life where you can get away with it. Go out, meet new people, stay up all night, do something crazy, and make sure to take a ton of pictures. This is the last stage you have before you have to really be an adult, so cherish it, make the most of it, LOVE IT, embrace it, and enjoy it. We had many people in my graduating class to pass away, and so I hope that you will remember how lucky each of you are to be able to experience this incredible stage in life.

The thing that you will soon learn is that time just seems to go by faster each year, and before you know it, you'll be sitting at your computer, writing your advice to the graduates of another class. You'll wonder where you would be in life if you had just listened to what everyone else had said. You'll fight back tears when you remember your own high school graduation, and how everything was just so simple and it all just made sense. Maybe you'll remember the boy that sat behind you in graduation, and feel sad that his life got cut so short, just as I remember John Wayne. You'll still think that all of the inside jokes are funny, even though most of them have gotton lost in your memory. You'll go through old pictures, wishing you could go back, even if it was just for a day. You'll wish that you could still drive 5 minutes down the road to your best friend's house, rather than 2 hours on the interstate. You will still worry about the future, wondering if you've done things right. You'll still be trying to make your parents proud, even though you have all along. So, please, don't rush it. In fact, do the opposite. Enjoy every single second, because before you know it, it will be a memory. You will never again feel the way you did when you walk out in your red robes, the crowd cheering, people you've known forever walking beside and behind you, feeling scared and nervous about all the things to come, and all the things that will never be again.

The time has come to spread your wings and make all of your dreams come true. The world is wide open to you, so make your mark while you're here. Love with all of your heart, follow your dreams, and just LIVE. Remember that there is something powerful about being young, and so many spend the rest of their lives trying to get that power again. Their time is over. It's your turn, now. And, if you ever do feel lonely, or scared, as many of you will at some point, you should know that it's only in the darkest of night that you see the stars. And, you know what they say about stars, right? They'll always lead you back home. I know, I know, none of you plan on living in Talladega ever again. That's what we all said, and although most of us meant it, nothing will ever replace the feeling you get every Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter when you and all of your friends make your way back to the place you all came from.

This may be a scary time, but life's greatest rewards often come from doing the things that terrify you the most. So, go out into the world, now. Reward yourself.

Maybe you'll get everything you ever wanted. Maybe you'll find out that everything you ever wanted isn't what you really want at all. Maybe you'll be famous politicians, dedicated teachers, loving mothers and fathers, or hard working nurses. Maybe you'll dream like you never though was possible. Maybe you'll stumble and fall at some point (actually, you definitely will), and maybe you'll find that you stumbled onto something that makes you happy. There is reason for everything, so take it as it comes. What's meant to be will always be, so don't spend your entire life searching for happiness. You'll find that it has been there all along!

I wish each of you nothing but the best! Now, CELEBRATE!

Good Luck and God Bless!

Haley