Making eye contact with the graduating class

I’ve met many high school seniors recently, and some have even asked me for a little advice. None of this is guaranteed, but I’ll give it my best shot.

I figure that within a decade or so, many of our graduating seniors will be doing a job that has yet to be invented.  That’s both exciting and a little scary.  Think about these words:  Twitter, Instagram, Pandora, Hulu, Google, iPhone, iPad, SnapChat, Pinterest.  We hadn’t heard those words a few years ago.  Now our teens can’t live without most of them.  What will the new words be by 2025?

I asked for guidance from my own sons, who are recent college graduates.  I said, “You’ve been there.  What would you tell them?”  They said, “Show up for class, be on time, and get to know your instructors.  Make sure they know your face and your name.”  As simple as it sounds, a lot of new college students don’t show up for class often enough, and unlike high school, no one’s trying to track you down when you’re absent.  But if you show up on time, and you develop a relationship with your instructors, it can pay off at exam time.  They’re more likely to give you help when you need it.  Perhaps showing up really is half the battle.

I believe school is never really out. Long after you get your diploma, there will be joy about learning something new. As much as I love music, every day I hear a song and discover some words, an instrument, or a meaning I hadn’t known before. Even when I figure out how to do something new on my phone, I have that same smile from when I learned the multiplication tables.

I would tell this year’s seniors that the high school teachers they have long feared, now have a new role: lifetime friends.  Recently I saw Ed Carter, my American history teacher from North Sand Mountain. I always thank him for instilling my love of history, politics, and government.  I give him a lot of credit for whatever success I’ve achieved.  He taught me all the presidents too, in order.  I learned them in 8^th grade and still know them today, even the “new” ones.  I can recite them for you on demand, next time you see me. (Now the pressure is on me.)

I would tell them that money can indeed come in handy, but it sure doesn’t bring you love or happiness.  Watch the news and you’ll see a lot of angry, sad millionaires, every day.

I would tell them how much I admire people who win without bragging, and who lose without making excuses.  The way I see it, if you’re good at something, even if you’re the best, you will never have to tell everyone.  They will figure it out on their own.

I would tell them that this old saying is true: “If you find a job you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.”  Thankfully, that happened to me.

I would offer some brief driving tips: buckle up, use your headlights in the rain and fog, and never text while driving.  I don’t like to read names on the news unless it’s for something good.

I would say that even in this age of texting and tweeting, personal contact is still the best way to communicate. Set aside some time every day to put your device away.  Look at people, right in their eyes.  Talk to them, listen to them.  At any college campus, you’ll see students randomly bumping into each other, and carelessly walking into traffic. This is not a good trend.

I would tell them many employers still value good spelling and punctuation. All those cute abbreviations and shortcuts used on social media may not go over so well in the job application process.

I would caution them about their social media posts. Potential employers will check them out, and somehow they stick around forever.

Once you get that job, if a customer (or boss) tries to get your attention, and you can’t hear them over your earbuds, you may soon be looking for another job.

I would tell them when their doctor says to wear plenty of sunscreen, he’s not kidding!  I hope today’s teens do a better job of following those instructions than I did.

And I would tell them to try to do something nice for someone every day, without being asked.  That always seems to put the cherry on my hot fudge cake.