CULTURE SHOCK

Your future awaits

Icame across an old coffee mug in the bottom of a not worry about labels like doctor, lawyer or engineer; Tupperware box while cleaning out my childhood just major in what you are good at and finish. By labeling bedroom. It read Benjamin Russell High School yourself, you limit yourself. Class of 2003 on one side and the other listed out all No matter where you land, dear seniors, I implore you of the names of my graduating class. I put it in my keep pile. to make as many new friends as possible. Build a network May signifies the end and the beginning for graduating seniors. Culture of people who are vastly different from you because that is where the magic happens. And although it is not apparent All school-age children, but especially the teens of the past Shock now, in 20 years, those are the people you will be doing business with, whatever that business may be. People two years, have been asked to remember how you treated them and how you made them adapt to change far sooner than feel. Oh, and have a little fun, too, while you are at it! expected. Normal would have been Kelsea Ballerini’s country song Half of my Hometown is the typical scene of your parents so true: dropping you off in a dorm room So stay or leave with a microwave, a stack of Hot Part of me will always be Pockets and $20. Half of my hometown

To be able to pivot in a Half of my hometown classroom setting is no different Back roads raise us than pivoting in the business arena. Highways take us Once again, it all comes back to Memories make us wanna go back mindset and the brute strength When I took off to Auburn University in the fall of 2003, of character, all of which are not taught between the pages of a Lacey Howell I had a Nokia instead of an iPhone. There were handwritten directions to the beach in the glove box. And Facebook book. The most successful people, didn’t yet exist. I met two new girls on Day 1, one was from in my experience, have been the ones who can handle Birmingham, and one was from Chicago. The Birmingham change. friend helped me get my first job, and I sold Chicago a lake

I think the pandemic will make for exciting future house last summer. leaders. It will be interesting to see what kind of inventors, Good luck seniors; know that your hometown will politicians and thinkers will emerge out of Gen Z, the always cheer for you. Tik Tok era – born with iPhones in hand and an already captivated audience. How will they capitalize on that? They have been self-branding their entire lives.

There is plenty of talk about how four-year universities will change and how many students view the four-year college route as not the only option. And it is not the only option.

I am 15 years removed from my own college graduation, but I can tell you that no matter what road you walk after you walk off the BRHS field, it is all about exposing yourself to experience and meeting as many new people as you possibly can. And you have to do that on foot, not behind a screen.

There is no one road to success, but you do have to choose a route and commit full-heartedly to the pursuit of bettering yourself. It could be a four- or two-year school, trade school or work that is so interesting that no one will ever ask you about a diploma.

I always tell young people that the whole point of college is showing that you can finish something without someone forcing your hand. You do it for yourself. Do not put yourself in a box. Do ~Lacey Howell is a recovering English major from Auburn who now lives on Lake Martin, sells real estate, rides horses and loves good wine. Follow her at Instagram @LaceyHowell and on her Facebook page.