Graduation

Graduation season is upon us. I graduate in two week in two days. The rich kids over at Bishop Verot graduated last Saturday (congrats to them, especially Justin & Britt.) This leads me to ask (and answer) the often asked question; how important is a high school graduation?

The answer really depends on your personal background. If you're the first person to graduate from high school in your family I'm sure you've overcome a lot of adversity, had to turn the other way when faced with drugs and violence and you should feel proud about this accomplishment, as anyone should. But in reality graduating from high school is one of the easiest things you will do in your life. If you head into the "real world" thinking that you're set after you graduate high school you are just delusional. Best case scenario, you get a job waiting tables at TGI Fridays. Worst case (and more likely) scenario, you can't get a job anywhere and you live off unemployment checks and food stamps in your apartment. In most cases (especially these days in this economy) you are going to have trouble finding a job even with a bachelors degree from a university. The best thing that you can do is stay in school as long as you can earn as many scholarships as you can and make it impossible for a future employer to turn you down. But even then your education is only half the battle. One thing that (i think) could help you as much or even more then a degree is the people you know. Networking has become a major part of everyones life, especially with the rise of the social networking sites (facebook, myspace etc.) If you can build relationships with people in high places that is another edge that you will have over other people going for the same job as you. If I'm faced between choosing my buddy, someone that I know and trust or some guy that I have never met with the same qualifications I'm going to obviously choose the guy I know.

But in the end it feels nice to have a celebration every couple years in your life because there are many kids that don't live to see 18. And there are also kids that completely f**k up in high school and have to bus tables there whole life. So just enjoy these couple weeks, enjoy the graduation ceremony, have fun with your friends and then move on. Thats what I'm going to do.

-Joey

http://twitter.com/joeyearle