Inspiring Advice For Anyone Who's Graduating College This Year

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Recently, we asked the BuzzFeed Community for some advice and kind words for the Class of 2020. Here are the inspiring things they said...

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Closeup of a 2020 Graduation Tassel at a graduation ceremony.

1. "Reach out to your friends and mentors regularly and maintain the connections you have with them!"

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"Wherever you go after, make sure you find a job or school that has a supportive environment. Reputation and ranking mean nothing if you [are] unhappy."

—sona441

2. "Don’t choose a grad school simply because they have the best ranking or you think the name will look good on your résumé."

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"Pick a place where you like the people, the location, and the atmosphere of the town. At the end of the day, everyone will leave with the same degree."

—keeperkerry18

3. "It’s okay if you move for a job right after school and then once that contract is done, you move home and live with your parents."

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"You’ll get another job eventually. Living at home isn’t permanent."

—fionamcgrathn

4. "If you want an advanced degree, try to get a job at a college as administrative staff."

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"[Their benefit packages] often include greatly reduced tuition rates or even free tuition."

—amandaperrymiller

5. "You can’t cut off toxic coworkers the way you can end toxic friendships..."

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"So learn how to be diplomatic, cooperative, and professional while still maintaining healthy boundaries with these people."

—katiegracehendo

6. "Pat yourself on the back, make a list of your accomplishments, and be proud of what you’ve done and who you are! You did it!"

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"You don’t need an answer for every next step or a big plan right at this moment, even if people are pressuring you. Take some time, reflect, and focus on your passions and self-care. Graduating college or high school, is a HUGE feat that you've just accomplished!"

—clevelandthatilove17

7. "Join a professional network and work on making strong connections with people in your field."

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"This could lead to a job down the line. In the meantime, don't stop learning stuff [about your chosen field as] that could impress in interviews."

—gg1995

8. "It's okay to take a break."

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"I was used to constantly going from work to class to homework, that taking a break felt wrong. Now I have put off getting my master's degree for a few months, and I have some guilt. I need to keep reminding myself to pace myself and set my own timeline."

—katlynb

9. "Understand that your friendships will change[...] but you also have a lot of control to keep the friendships that really matter."

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"Make plans to meet up every year. Call and text when you're going to be in their area. Show up to their celebrations. Keep in the loop of their lives in ways that are sustainable. It's been 6 years since I graduated college and I have three people I've known now for 10 years. I'm so glad we had all that time together as undergrads."

—itaconher1

10. "Find out what makes you happy or what you would love to do every day and do that."

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"If you get paid for it, that's awesome. If not, then find something that will pay you enough and give you the time to pursue what makes you happy."

—ivancrystal

11. "Everyone really is on a different path."

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"Some get in grad school the first time around, while others take a couple of years. Some land the dream jobs, while others look around. Some get married, while others travel. It may be easy to look around to your peers and friends from college to see where your should be at, but at the end of the day you know what you deserve or want best, and sometimes it's good to just put blinders on and focus on what motivates and stirs passion in you."

—natalierivera9300

Note: Submissions have been edited for length, grammar, and/or clarity.

Congrats to the class of 2020! GEICO offers special savings to fraternities, sororities, alumni association members, faculty, and staff of many colleges and universities. Click here to see if you qualify for discounts.