Graduation and then the hard part......

As the many students head down the aisle, to walk

up those stairs, to shake the hand and reach for their

diploma, they have great joy in their hearts.  Be it

high school or college.

As a high school graduate... it is harder. They haven't

had the hard lesson of being by themselves yet.  Only

the safety of their own parent's home. 

And there is the decision... the big decision.. Will

it be a job or will it be college?  That is a hard decision.

If they have been A students, they have a chance for

scholarships.  Maybe some big ones if they are lucky.

Other wise it is student loans.  Student loans that cost

more than a house, with interest double or triple what

a house loan will be.  Depending what their goal of a

job to be on how big it will be.

If they have chose a job for now.. and have been lucky

to be doing summer jobs in that line.. they have a way

for now... maybe.... to go into that full time.  But the

hard part of that is .. that college will be put off for

quite a few years.. sometimes 20 years.. if they get

married shortly after high school.

They have a choice of vocational schools. Little

cheaper and faster to get a education in a particular

field and get on with life.

But what ever they decide.. the high school student,

it is all fun and games until Monday morning after

graduation, and reality comes.  Hopefully they have

a plan.

With college it is only slightly better.  If they were lucky

enough to pick an education in a very high needed

area, they will be lucky. But the competition will be

stiff.  But even they, who have learn not only the

education of school, but of life and the fair and unfairness

of it all...it will be hard.  And worse part is that loan, that

now becomes due, in payments. 

I wish them all well. It will be hard but worth it all.