Ten years ago this month, I graduated high school, and six years ago this month, I graduated college. Ever since then, I have been a product of the "real" world. My basic qualification for giving advice to the young is that I am still alive and kicking, and for some reason, I feel I should let this year's crop of graduates in on a few tips to a better tomorrow. Here goes:

1. The more obligations you weigh yourself down with, the more a slave to the system you will be. This includes marriage, kids, car payments, house payments, drug addictions, insurance, credit cards, the Internet and so on. Beware of monthly payments. Working to pay off debt sucks.

2. It is time to educate yourself. All high school and college did was teach you how to learn. It is now time to discover the aspects of the world all on your own. There will be no tests, no final, no grades, but you can now teach yourself at your own rate. If you think you already know everything you need, then you will end up nothing but a mindless consumer.

3. Throw out the ten-year plan. Anyone who has their life planned out for the next ten years is either extremely hopeful, extremely boring, or both. The most important and intense choices you make in life come from circumstances you would have never fathomed before they occurred. Live for each day, each week, and each month. Anything longer than that is just wishful thinking.

4. Do not rely on others for your own success. Everyone is out for themselves. If they throw you a bone, it probably has just as much to do with their own personal ego as much as helping you. People will be more threatened than appreciative of any success you get.

5. Do unto others as you would have done to you. There is that popular question of 'What would Jesus do?,' but he gave us the answer in the form the Golden Rule a long time ago. Life is much more rewarding and less stressful when you try to be positive and helpful. You will upset people regardless of your true intentions, so it's best to attempt to keep a good attitude.

6. Learn from observing the successes and failures of others. If you watch other people, you will learn what works and what doesn't in our society. They will not come out and tell you what to do, so you have to glean this information without prompting.

7. It's not all about you. We were all taught that we were going to grow up to be millionaires, movie stars, and rock stars, but we're not. No one is waiting for you to come along out of the woodwork. There is no shame in starting at the bottom. There are many benefits to being humble. Don't get bent out of shape because you're not getting what you deserve, because in truth, you don't deserve a goddamn thing without proving yourself first.

8. Never settle. The moment you decide that this is how it's going to be for the rest of your life is the moment you become old. Always challenge yourself. Never say never to unexpected opportunities. We only get one shot at this life, and one of the worst things you can do is live a long life full of regret. It is better to fail and learn from it than to never try at all.

9. Don't make your life all about the money. We could always have more money. It is an insatiable desire, and it causes as much destruction as pleasure. The best things in life don't cost any money, but that doesn't mean they are free. Love, friendship, knowledge, talent, expression, and tranquillity take a lot of time and effort to achieve, and you can't buy them in any store.

10. There is no Answer. I spent my entire lower and higher education looking for the overarching Answer that would make sense of all the crazy things that happen in this world, but after years of searching, I now know that the Big Answer is really the sum of all of the little answers. Every time you learn one tiny thing, it adds to the Big Answer, but there will always be another question. Keep searching.

That's it. Of course, if you're anything like me when I graduated my institutions, you will discard everything you've been taught and find your own way. Congratulations and welcome to the world.

Chris Jungle's views are not supported by any accredited universities, but they don't cost anything either.