December is almost here and what a rush! It’s prize giving, graduation, end of year balls and beach parties. Congratulations to all the graduates and to those who are in mourning, do not worry, you can try again next year. Failure is part of life; we cannot deny that. Look at failure as learning opportunities.

For the babies graduating preschool and moving onto the big school, congratulations to the parents and guardians. Waiting twenty minutes for a three-year-old to ‘lie down for one more minute’, brushing their unicorn, waiting another ten minutes to sit down and have breakfast.

Then wanting to watch TV, go on YouTube or play that iPad shooting game takes a lot of patience and dedication.

Don’t even get me started on the quick shower, putting on clothes, brushing teeth and hair. Does your preschooler dance around the house and spend time looking at old photos too?

Forget that you have a meeting at 8 am or a public consultation with sixty people. We just have to remember that we were all three once! At least that’s how I get through it. Well done, parents and geniuses.

To those who have finished Year Eight and are going to college next year, this will be a whole new world for you. To the high schoolers heading to the National University of Samoa, you’ve done well, and it will be a lot of studies but also free time. You’ll be taking less subjects compared to high school so really, you have no excuse to not try. As long as you do your best, that is all that matters.

For the NUS scholarship students, you carry Samoa with you when you go. No pressure. Carry your parents’ loving advice and your grandparents with you when things are hard. The world will get bigger for you and a whole lot of temptations. You will have a lot of freedom and will have to make adult changes. Manatua lou aiga. Manatua le tapuaiga. Call home every day, don’t wait for challenges before you do that.

When you graduate with your first degree, the world does not end there. More doors will open for you and many countries will take you as an employee. Remember your faith and who you are here. There are many challenges that lie ahead of your journey. Why can I write this?

Because I have been in your shoes. I have been the three-year-old who lies down one more time, the primary schooler who will read her way to bed, the graduate who was handed so many golden opportunities and I used them all.

Say yes to every opportunity if it means learning great things. Say yes to many jobs, if they are stepping stones to the next leg of the journey. Today I interviewed for a CEO job, and I walked out with a light heart, a smile on my face because I gave it my best shot, regardless of the outcome. We only have one life, and we must use every talent, gift, piece of knowledge given and attained to not only help ourselves but others too. Enjoy the rest of your week Samoa!