This spring, so many young people will graduate from high school and college. Recently, after my nephew Matt graduated from Goodrich High School near Flint, Michigan, his extended family (ages 5 to 93) gathered around him after dinner and each gifted him with some words of wisdom. I’m sharing them here with you to pass on to your favorite grad (or keep all for yourself). We love you, Matt, and we know you’ll be an outstanding addition to Western Michigan University

Look beyond the beauty in a woman to see her character. The legal drinking limit is .08 (57)

Always talk to dogs (8)

Don’t sweat the small stuff. Work hard and take your failures—bad test grades, etc.—in stride (53)

Join clubs and make new friends. You’re only a freshman once. Figure out the kind of person you want to be (21)

Always take public transit (56)

Pick your battles (54)

Learn to listen to your gut instinct (52)

It never helps to get noticed by the director of the dorm. If you do, when anything goes wrong, you’ll get blamed (60)

Don’t let the disappointments get you down. Never give up (92)

Don’t feel pressured into deciding a major. Take the classes that interest you and let those determine what you will do (52)

After you take public transit, wash your hands (48)

Learn how to study. Don’t procrastinate. Learn to break large projects into small pieces and begin right away. Also, learn mindfulness meditation techniques (47)

You have to focus on your schoolwork. It will suck, but it must be done. Also everyone at Western is really friendly. Just be your normal outgoing self and you’ll be fine (22)

Take time to figure out who you are. Don’t choose a profession because that’s what others think. Let your profession emerge from your passion. And don’t be afraid to fail. It’s how you learn (39)

Stand up for the underdogs (79)

Take care of all the pretty girls (93)

Do the little things well and the big successes will follow (81)

Don’t waste a chance to have a little fun (5)