Writing a welcome letter to college graduates is not an easy task; how do you prepare students for what lies ahead?  How do you relay the difficulties of post-grad life while not being a debbie downer?  Is humor the key, bringing light breaths of laughter to a heavy, dreary topic?  Should I be blunt and straight forward?  I don't know, even as I write this I'm completely winging it.  And then it clicks: that's how you deal with life after graduation.

You don't need me to tell you that our economy is shit; that the job market is tighter for 2012 graduates than any other class; that jumping off a roof and missing the pool is easier than finding work.  After four and a half years, everyone in the country is pretty aware of these facts.  But in no way does that mean your life is down the drain after graduation.

I can see you now: droopy, red eyes staring into nothing as you sip water, trying to recover from the last three nights straight of drinking; slowly reaching for your pipe and lighter, pining for your medicinal psychiatrist, Dr. Marijuana; sending out a litany of text messages to prepare for another night of debauchery and sin with your friends before you have to don your cap and gown and face the inevitability of leaving school.  You've busted through denial once dressed, now it's on to acceptance.  Accept that one of the biggest experiences of your youth is now done, finito, over.  Move on and realize the next phase of your life is about to begin.  Allow 'Pac to enlighten you:

Once you're gone, don't dwell on it or it will drive you insane.  The fact of the matter is: you will miss college, but remember how awful 8 AMs were?  That terrible 13 page paper you had to write after finishing up a 6 pager with an exam coming two days after?  Take comfort knowing the grind of academics is done with, all that's left is living.

And that's the focus of my advice: life, winging it, taking chances.  The world outside of college is hectic, fast, ever-changing.  Getting caught up in post grad life can make you miss the finer things.  In the end, life is what you make it.  You're young and free, able to take risks with your life because you have absolutely nothing to lose.  Some of you may have jobs and internships waiting for you the second you move back home; but most of you, like me, had nothing but a scrap of paper and a pat on the back.  Do not, for any reason, permit this fact to permeate your mind and soul and destroy your resilience or faith in yourself.  College granted you more knowledge about yourself than anything else, nothing is more beneficial than that.  You can't read it in a book or learn it from a PowerPoint  presentation, it's something you figure out on your own.  But how do you use that once you're back home?

The greatest thing you can do after graduation is live.  You want to sit around and read?  Do it.  You could land an interview one day and the lady has a copy of Fifty Shades of Grey sitting on her desk.  Lucky you just finished that smut-filled nonsense, make an offhand comment about and BOOM, welcome to the company.  You want to kick it in a cafe and write (like me on weekends)? Do it.  Some guy/girl may take notice one day and ask to sit down, share a coffee, and before you know it BOOM, relationship status: in one bitches.  Just do you, and you will be happy.

Embrace it, enjoy it, live.  Take risks, make mistakes, learn and grow.  One day, you'll get a job, settle down and become a full-fledged adult.  For the time being, soak up some fun and enjoy what is likely to be your last summer vacation.  If you need inspiration, I've always found this to be the most motivating speech for any given situation.