In May of 2000, I began counting down the days to our May 19 graduation ceremony. I figured
out what grades I needed to be exempt from my core class exams and worked hard to maintain
those grades. Then, I addressed invitations to family and friends and soaked up all my lasts as I
anticipated a whole bunch of firsts. Graduation was the stepping stone to the rest of my life and to graduation reflections.

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.

~1 Timothy 4:12 NIV

It’s the season for graduations. Students are excited and hopeful about their next steps, yearning to build lives for themselves. This time of year makes me look back and think about what I’d do differently. I think about things I’d tell my seventeen-year-old self from this side of adulthood.

Reflection

Being an adult does not mean freedom or spending my money how I want. 

Being able to purchase cigarettes and alcohol is not a marker of being “grown up.”

Eating right is not a punishment. It’s a precious gift we give our bodies so that they function and age well.

Consistent exercise is important to aging gracefully.

Pain is there to tell us when to stop. Pushing through the pain creates weak bodies and many
issues later in life.

Boys are immature, and dating so you aren’t alone is stupid. Date for marriage.

Curiosities turn into actions. Actions become habits. Habits grow into addictions. Addictions keep us from growing in Christ. Deal with struggles early so you don’t have to as an adult.

When God leads, don’t fight. Surrender is better up front than wrestling with God.

Don’t give up on your dreams. They are placed there for a purpose, and God will use them if we let Him.

Being a parent is amazing. Prepare yourself to be the best mom or dad ever by getting your junk together earlier in life.

Reality

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

~Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

Think of some things you’d want to tell your high school self?

Dear Jesus, thank You for the wisdom that comes with age. And thank You for always directing my steps.

Genre: Non-fiction

Copyright 2026: Graduation Reflections: Christy Bass Adams: All Rights Reserved.