We’ll soon be sending this year’s crop of seniors out into the world, eager young adults ready to grab their diploma and move on to college, career and, whatever life has in store for them.

They have an education, hopefully, to serve as a springboard to go far in life.....but there are plenty of real-life lessons ahead.

We certainly wish each and every one of our graduates-to-be from Orestimba and Gustine high schools the best, and also offer our own words of advice - unsolicited, unqualified and totally free of charge!

Follow these words of wisdom and you’ll be on the right path....

Respect your parents. You are on the verge of realizing that the whole time you thought you were smarter than your parents, they knew what they were talking about all along. That revelation usually comes somewhere between age 19 and 21, and falls under the category of “eating crow.”

Be on time.

You can’t skip work because you are having a bad hair day.

The most valuable things you can possess in life are not a new house, shiny ride or best wardrobe on the block. Life’s most important things can’t always be touched or seen, but they can be felt – happiness, love and good health, for example.

The right choice and the easy choice are not always one and the same.....people who make the right choice are usually the ones who succeed when everything is said and done.

Don’t be an idiot. The world has its quota already.

Stand up for yourself, but choose your battles wisely.

Understand that not all adults are grown-ups.

Yes, you do live in a free country. No, that does not mean you can do whatever you want.

There are going to be those days when nothing goes right.....you discover that you are wearing mismatched shoes, your keys are locked in your car and you just spilled coffee all over the keyboard. It happens.

Sometimes it is your fault.....and when it is, be a big enough person to stand up and admit it.

Few things in life are as valuable as a good name, personal integrity and a word that can be trusted.

When I was a teen (that’s been a while), the threat of having information entered in our “permanent record” usually kept us from misbehaving too badly. Today, there really is a permanent record. It’s called the Internet – and anything you post there could follow you for years to come.

You will make mistakes in life. That’s just part of the deal. Accept responsibility, learn from your mistakes and move on.

Be compassionate, kind and caring toward others. Extend a helping hand to someone in need with no expectation of anything in return. Try to make a positive difference in somebody’s life each and every day. It will come back to you many times over, when you expect it the least and need it the most.

No, it isn’t all about you.

When you stumble and fall, get up and keep going – or not. The choice is yours. If you keep going, you will find success.

It’s not the cop’s fault that you got a ticket for running the stop sign.

You owe your employer an honest day’s work for that wage you want to collect. If you want to “express yourself,” do it on your own time.

Be a devoted spouse and a loving parent, and be a decent human being. Live in such a way that you like the person looking back at you from the mirror each morning.

For all its challenges, life is filled with positive moments and experiences. Take the time to enjoy all that life has to offer, whether a major milestone or a fleeting moment.

The world already has plenty of drama. Don’t go around creating more.

Listen to your elders. Like me.

As much fun as it might have been at the time, scoring the winning touchdown against Orestimba or hitting the game-winning home run against Gustine isn’t going to much impress your college professor or employer two years from now.

Plan well for tomorrow, but don’t take today for granted.

Know that you are empowered to make a positive difference in the world if you choose.

Be courteous.

Life will test you, and it doesn’t always grade on the curve.

The only thing the world owes you is an opportunity to do with your life as you will. And that choice, ultimately, is yours and yours alone.

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