Graduation brings with it a sense of freedom and independence.

It's fun to think of yourself as being completely independent.But listen up, grads. You'll soon realize you're not.To get through life, you'll need to lean on others. Here are some other tips that might help.After years of sitting in classroom chairs lined up like so many dominoes, you're about to step forward. Don't wait for someone to inspire you. Learn to be your own source of energy.Formal education is wonderful. But it's a guessing game, and so is the way we gauge results. There's no way to measure individual initiative, passion and desire. Yet, those qualities are the common denominator of achievement.Don't let anyone try to limit you and don't limit yourself. Go for it. For many, "I can" means more than IQ.Don't start your adult years with a movie theater mentality, sitting back and waiting to be entertained. If you do, you'll be disappointed.Graduation doesn't mean your education has been completed. It means you're just starting to understand.Hopefully, school has taught you how to learn and where to look for information. It's OK if you don't know the name of the coldest planet in the universe, just as long as you know where to find the answer.Know that everybody has a story to tell and a lesson to teach. Each human you meet has something to offer and a special way of offering it. Be open to everyone and be a student of the world.Teachers aren't the only ones who teach. You can learn from a mechanic. You can learn from a sanitation worker. You can even learn from a man behind bars.Learn to appreciate examples of honesty and hard work ethic. All honest work is noble and those who tackle each job with sincerity are to be admired and respected.You'll find that honesty isn't necessarily the norm. There are many who make a living being dishonest. Don't be one of them.Don't think any diploma you happen to earn entitles you to step in as president of Microsoft. There are many kinds of jobs in this world and your diploma entitles you to apply for one and perhaps climb. If you get hired, be proud and give the job your best effort, whether you're a research chemist, an assistant maitre de, or a house painter.If you've been led to believe that being successful is measured by how much money you earn, then you've been shortchanged. Try to overcome that false perception. Success isn't measured in dollars and neither is happiness.Understand that the most respected job title you can have is not "president" or "chairman of the board," but rather, "volunteer."Volunteers are the engine of society.The only thing guaranteed in life is that there are no guarantees.Cherish your parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents. Make them a priority on a daily basis. In the blink of an eye, they'll be gone and you'll wonder what happened. Once you no longer have them, nothing is the same again.Above all, try to make the world a better place. There are many challenges to tackle.We need to find a cure for cancer. We need to discover a treatment for Alzheimers. We need to understand Autism.We desperately need to figure out why our deeply held beliefs so often spawn war and hate, and why ignorance breeds contempt.Up until this point, our educational system has produced individuals who've failed to find answers.Like others before you, you might fail, as well.But give it your best shot.At this single moment, you're the only hope we have.