We all know what happens come May: the safety net of college tears away and you plummet into the real world. In other words, the days of sleeping until noon and eating Easy Mac are gone.

With those days near and dear, some of the older and wiser of Gustavus provide their insight for the Class of 2017.

“Dare to be wise: begin now. The graduating senior who puts off the day when he or she will live rightly is like the traveler who waits for the river to drain away, but the river flows on, and will flow on, forever.”
– Ron Rietz

“Remember that you are beloved, valuable, and worthy of experiencing love and joy in your life. Your journey will take you many places and through many challenges, but you are connected to so many people who are cheering for you to shine and who will listen to your heartbreaks and triumphs. Cultivate a sense of gratitude for the gifts, however simple, that you give and receive each day of your life.”
– Reverend Siri C. Erickson

“Be yourself. Love your people. Be kind. Lead strong. Give back.”
– Grady St. Dennis

“Explore ideas that are radical enough to be afraid of.
Travel.
Read.
Love.
Believe.
Worry about someone other than yourself.
Refuse to curb your enthusiasm.
Protest fear.
Remember who you are.”
– Reverend Brian E. Konkol

“Always be kind, work hard and dare to be all you can be.”
– Jeri Miller

“It takes courage to make decisions, but it takes more courage to live with those decisions afterwards.”
– Paul Matzke

“The world needs you to be your best self! Embrace change, learn, and grow. Stay mentally, physically, and spiritually strong so that you can live with enthusiasm. There is no dress rehearsal for life, this is it! Seize the day!”
– Cynthia Favre

“Learn something from every job you take. Even if it’s not where you want to be, take advantage of every organizational role to learn something. Write down some goals, and seek them out.

If nothing else from finance, remember the time value of money. Start saving from day 1, even if it’s $24 to the 401(k) and $25 to savings. You won’t miss it, and it adds up. Run one of those retirement planning calculators to see how tax deferred savings will work for you for motivation.

Your college friends can be your friends for life, but your relationships will change. Don’t try to keep the same dynamic as it was during your college time. Allow yourselves the freedom to change how you are friends.”
– Kathy Lund Dean

“Buy low, sell high!”
– James Stone