I record this just hours after I watched my grade 12 students, in tears, hugging and signing each other shirts and saying goodbyes on their last day of school. They are excited for the future, but genuinely sad as they realize this is the end of an important period of their lives.

You too will have many "lasts". You will one day enjoy your last meal. You will have last conversations with people before they pass on from this life. Some of them unexpectedly.

One of the ways to increase our gratitude in this moment is to remember that life continues to change. If these days will be remembered as the good ole days later on, are we appreciating them enough right now while we are still living them?

If you have participated in the Ivy League Challenge, this conversation is not new to you. Throughout the program I regularly emphasize the fact that middle school is not merely a time to prepare for high school. High school is not merely a time to prepare for college.

College is not merely a time to prepare for your first job, etc. The irony is that those who decide to live out their personal values to the fullest while in middle school will be the most confident and best prepared for high school. Those high school students who live out their personal values to the fullest while in high school will be head and shoulders above their peers in the eyes of elite university admissions officers. Those who see each stage of life as a preparation for the next stage of life will lack the skills, mindset, and confidence to take advantage of life's opportunities.
 
Download my guide 5 Fatal Pitfalls to Avoid in Middle School if You Want to Get In to Your Dream University here.

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