How exciting is this?!! We did it! Feelings of joy, knowing you accomplished something, not wanting to trip across the stage when receiving your diploma, excited to take on a new experience, hoping you and your friends will still keep in touch after you go your separate ways, feeling a miniscule amount of fear only because you don’t exactly know what lies ahead of you, not having to ever take another exam for school if you don’t want to, and the best of all the notion that you did it no matter how or what you had to go through you did it! Congratulations! These actions and emotions probably filled the minds and hearts of most people when they either graduated high school or possess them today as they graduate college!

As I sat in the bleachers this past December watching many of my friends graduate, I thought to myself, will I be prepared to graduate in just a few short months? Have the professors at UW-L instilled in us with what it takes to succeed in the real world? The truth is…they have whether we know it or not. I mean, what better way is there to prepare us then by loading us with countless papers and exams? I don’t know about you all, but I know completing those exams and papers will absolutely help me in the real world! Just kidding. It’s not a matter of what we had to do; it’s more of the attitudes and determination we learned by doing them. After all, attitude is everything. Your attitude affects your altitude in business and in life. If you have a good attitude, chances are you will go far in life because you’ll want to be optimistic. Set your dreams high because with that good attitude and the desire to succeed you will. The only one that’s stopping you from accomplishing anything is only yourself.

Always have goals for yourself whether they’re big or small. My mother taught me the art of goal setting. She would make many of her goals through her home business, but she would also miss some along the way. She wouldn’t have a pity party, yet she would bounce right back like a tiger and accomplish an even bigger goal the next time around. Your obstacles can either paralyze you or promote you. Never settle for anything because you deserve the best life has to offer.

I thank my friends and family of course but also all of the graduates’ families and friends for their constant support throughout our college careers. Without you, the journey would have been a little bumpy. And of course the professors who put up with us, but wasn’t it fun? I can only imagine what they were thinking when we were little freshman not having a clue as to what we wanted to do and now look at us! I personally thank my advisor, Dr. Brokaw, for never giving up hope on me and telling me I can do it. And thank you to all the graduates for making our college experience unforgettable! Did we have a blast or what? Congratulations for believing in yourself and best wishes in whatever you chose to do in the future. Remember whenever life hands you lemons, just turn them into lemonade!