“Harry Potter” Advice for Graduates
So you’re about to graduate. Your head may be teeming with doubts, insecurities, and excitement for the future. Whether you’re entering adulthood and looking forward to college or hopefully starting a career after a tumultuous four years of study, one nostalgic support will always be here for you: Harry Potter. Just in case you’re running low on time to complete another Potter series reread, here are emboldening quotes from the books to spur you into a new life of possibilities.
“As Hagrid had said, what would come, would come… and he would have to meet it when it did.” (GoF 734)
You may feel overwhelmed with the unknown right now, but as Rubeus Hagrid says, try to meet your future as it comes. You can’t control the movement of time, but you can change the way you relate to it. Fretting about your path won’t bring it closer to you. Enjoy the ride and tackle your next step ferociously when the time is right.
“Harry was finding it hard to think about the future at all; he felt as though his whole life had been leading up to, and would finish with, the first task.” (GoF 313)
Just as Harry Potter felt his life would end with the first task (and let’s be honest, he was in a death-defying tournament), you may be feeling that your whole life has been leading to the penultimate moment where you’re handed a precious scroll packaging your hopes and dreams. When you’ve worked diligently for years toward a single goal, it’s hard to imagine life without it. Regardless, life will continue, and you’ll find yourself reaching countless landmarks after that dreaded walk across the stage, where you (hopefully) won’t trip.
“It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be!” (GoF 708)
Don’t let where you come from determine your destination. No matter your background, it’s up to you now whether you succeed or fail. Flourishing into an independent adult depends on the resilience you show in times of adversity and the choices you make along the way. Reading Harry Potter is a significant first step. Nourish your inner Mimbulus mimbletonia and let that Stinksap grow.
“‘Are you planning to follow a career in Magical Law, Miss Granger?’ asked Scrimgeour. ‘No, I’m not,’ retorted Hermione. ‘I’m hoping to do some good in the world!'” (DH 123-124)
Don’t let expectations others place on you define your career choices. Everyone has a unique perspective and talents that can instigate positive change and influence others. Choose a career that will help fulfill your potential. Hermione Granger followed her intuition and identified a corrupt system of government that would stifle her chances of shaping a better society. Eventually, she joined the Ministry after the war, but her initial instincts helped guide her to what truly mattered. Whether you’re an English major or a business major, you have something to offer.
I hope these quotes inspired you to stay motivated and positive leading up to your graduation. Soak in the day and feel confident that you achieved your goal. Shed your Hogwarts robes and put on a graduation cap – it’s time to put your NEWTs to good use.
