Advice for graduates

First of all, don’t worry about it too much. There is a lot of worry in young people. Anxiety is real, and the 20s are a challenging decade. You feel grown up, but you also don’t feel grown up at the same time. There is a pull to solve lots of things and get on the right track to whatever and wherever, but all of that will come in time. Have fun. You don’t have (many) aches and pains.

Be persistent. When I graduated from college, I sent resumes to every publication in Northern California. I received rejection letters from every single one. My favorite was from the Herb Quarterly in Marin County. My second favorite was from the San Mateo County Times editor who said I needed more “advanced experience.” I hope to get that one day.

Get a mentor. There are plenty of people out there who want to help young people succeed. Ask them for help and advice.

Try informational interviews. If someone has a job you might like, ask them for 20 minutes in person. Most people want to help others, and the idea of someone interested in your profession is flattering. It can also lead to opportunity and mentorship.

Demand honest criticism. Most people don’t want to be completely honest because they don’t want to hurt your feelings. Tell them it’s OK. The most devastating criticism I have ever received in my life has also been the most helpful.

Admit ignorance. If you don’t know something, admit it. It’s how you learn.

Read one news story a day. Not the headline, the whole story. Be informed.

Limit your feed. They call it a “feed” for a reason. You are being fed by an algorithm. Go hunt and gather your own information. Go outside, literally and metaphorically.

Become an expert in one thing that is not school or work related. Bake the perfect cookie. Crochet cute hats. Perfect the tango. Grow a bonsai tree. Write your own song on the trumpet. Get really good running or weightlifting form. Memorize the U.S. presidents in order. You get the idea. It makes you more interesting and enriches your life.

Help others. It may seem like a platitude, but helping others feels good for you and for them. They may even return the favor.

Experience art and music in person. There are galleries and music venues all around us. See any one of them.

Volunteer. It doesn’t have to be a big deal. There are opportunities great and small all over. Local governments and nonprofits have plenty of opportunities. Just google “volunteering near me.”

Make time/stay in touch. Life moves fast and can get away from you quickly. As you graduate, you will be separating from those who you may have spent more than a decade with, and who have seen you grow from as young as transitional kindergarten to adulthood. You will likely never have as many friends as you do right now. So keep in touch with them. It doesn’t have to be all the time, but it can be regular. Wish them a happy birthday, see them when you/they are in town.

Be grateful. We live in a very interesting time in a very prosperous and powerful nation. We have luxuries and privileges unimaginable to people in other parts of the world or in other times in history. The technological advancements in the past 125 years shadow most other periods of growth in human history. Our overall healthcare is better than at any other time and in any other place. Our access to nutritional food and entertainment is without peer. We have ways to connect to people across the world in a flash and have more access to information than ever before.

Be optimistic. It’s OK to be skeptical, especially when it comes to sources of information in this age. But it’s best to not let that break down into cynicism. Life can be tough, and situations unfair. But it can always get better. To get back on that track, try any of the other pieces of advice that preceded this.

And to the adults watching their children move to the next stage in life, trust. You taught them well, they will be just fine.