Tomorrow, Saturday June 20, at 5 p.m., Wilton High School seniors will walk into Veteran’s Memorial Stadium and become high school graduates. GOOD Morning Wilton welcomes back an alumna of our writing staff as well as a member of the WHS Class of 2014, Kate Bell, who shares a bit of advice with the members of the Class of 2015, who tomorrow will follow in the footsteps she took just one year ago.

  1. You are better prepared than you may think. It’s something you won’t realize until your first day in the classroom, or first day on the job, but Wilton High School has more than prepared you for college and life itself.
  2. You can always go back home. No matter how far, or how long you have been away, Wilton will always be your home. Once a warrior, always a warrior.
  3. Being smart is cool. As corny as it sounds, it’s true. The smarter you are, the more you have to offer. People gravitate to those who have taken the time to learn. Embrace what you don’t know and use that as the motivation to continue learning.
  4. Call your mom!  She wants to hear from you and know how you are doing. Just because you are away doesn’t mean she stops worrying about you.
  5. You can be whomever you want. That’s a truism, not just in school, but in life. No matter who you were in high school, college is a brand new opportunity to re-brand yourself, try new things and discover something new.
  6. Use the skills you already have. The world changes and evolves every day, so never be afraid to use the skills you have, as they could open the doors for you. Volunteer, even if you’re not entirely qualified, you never know….
  7. Always say yes. Even if it seems below you, say, ‘Yes.’ You don’t know what could eventually come out of it. “You miss 100-percent of the shots you don’t take.” –Wayne Gretzky
  8. You may be leaving Wilton but that does not mean lose connection with Wilton. Your friends from high school, your internship bosses, and the residents of Wilton have a lot to offer in the way of advice, possible job opportunities or connections. Networking is a gift.
  9. Never doubt yourself. I left Wilton High School an entirely different person than I am today. WHS gave me the foundation to succeed in the classroom and in the swimming pool, but the real learning comes from having the ability to trust that those skills are enough.
  10. Never stop dreaming. Your dreams are what will propel you forward, and give you something to look forward to, even when things seem bleak.
  11. Lastly, never be afraid of change. Things change, no matter what. The best advice I can give you is to be flexible. Nothing is ever permanent; if you don’t like where you are or your situation, change it.

Kate Bell attends Emerson College as a member of the class of 2018. She is pursuing a major in journalism with a minor in marketing and photography.