Seniors, graduation is coming up, and it’s no joke when we say there are so many mixed emotions: excitement, relief, and some anxiousness! A chapter is closing on such an essential and unforgettable part of our lives, opening new paths and raising reasonable fears. Whether you have an idea of what the next few years will hold for you, knowledgeable advice can always be helpful, and maybe from a different type of senior.

We seem to overlook some guidance from people who have seen it all—senior citizens. They have experienced what we are all going through– the excitement, relief, and anxiety of changing chapters in life. We had the privilege of traveling down the street to our local nursing home, Crestmont North, and talking to three gentlemen with some great advice for all of us going through this big change.

First, we talked to Bob Harder, a resident at Crestmont North. He got his GED and went to college for a few semesters, but stated he went down a rough path.

“I thought I knew everything,” Harder states in regards to his younger self, which, don’t we all? Sometimes we think we know what we want and how things are going to end up in our lives. But being so young, we still lack a lot of life experiences, so trust your elders! When we asked Harder what he wished his younger self knew, he stated—

“I just wish I would have known that things would end up this way.” Though there is no way of knowing ‘everything,’ nor is there a way to see into the future, at times you have to accept that things end up the way they are supposed to, but there is an understanding that sometimes you get the outcome of the effort you put forth. Harder remains positive after all he’s been through, and keeps a contagious smile on his face.

When talking to another resident, Ken Rutti, his piece of advice was—

“Be persistent. You don’t always get it the first time,” which ties back to the direction of where your life is going. Although it is impossible to know, with determination and persistence, you may go down the right path for you, even if you don’t know it at this very moment. 

Rutti graduated in 1973 and went to college at Tri-C, where he majored in educational media. This led him down a career path in the educational media realm, which he seemingly enjoyed. However, this may not be everyone’s path. Another resident at Crestmont North, Bernard Bardy, joined a percussion group after graduating high school in 1973.

“It’s a hobby, there wasn’t much money involved, but there were good people involved,” Bardy stated. He expressed that he was happy doing it, which is all that matters at the end of the day. Being able to do your favorite hobby with your favorite people will almost always be more memorable than going through the daily motions of work, so keep a good balance for yourself. He was fortunate enough to be surrounded by a good support system, and even more fortunate to perform music with them. Along with playing percussion for 20 years, Bardy also mentioned that he loved to play for Broadway musicals and was well known for his Most Valuable Musician award in Jesus Christ Superstar. Although musicality has been a big part of his life, he also went to carpentry school, was a shoe salesman, a metal stud and drywall mechanic, and worked at a Perry nuclear power plant at North American Combustion and Controls. The moral of the story: your path can change–nothing is permanent in your career, so carry a hobby or passion with you–whether it’s music like Bardy, sports, or academics, your path is yours.

Something we took away from our talk with these three lovely gentlemen was that having a support system is extremely important. Sometimes we all go through moments when we need a shoulder to lean on. From time to time, whether it’s built-up stress from school or work or having to make tough decisions, having someone to trust and keep close to you is crucial. It is hard to find your rock, but once you get it, don’t let it go. Hold your family and friendships close. How do you find that, you may ask? 

“Verbalizing,” Bardy states. “Not holding feelings in.” We received a very similar answer from resident Harder.

“Listen to one another,” Harder said. Harder knew the importance of friendship: “Well, I always used to say, if you have one true friend, you’d be a rich man.” Though it may be hard to find the one relationship you know is real, once you find it, no matter how much money you have, you are rich in life. Throughout our lives, we will meet many people, and they might be lifelong friends who stick around or temporary friends who either teach us a good or a bad lesson. What we have learned from these three gentlemen is that it is crucial to maintain these real relationships because they will be there through thick and thin. Sometimes people are not fortunate enough to have family as their foundation, but that’s when you can lean on those best friends, or one solid best friend, to fulfill the role of support and love.

With times like this, a page is turning in our very long book called life, which can ignite some fear, but we all go through it and can get through it. These three gentlemen taught us what they found to be important on their journey, but sometimes we have to experience life on our own to find out what works and what does not. Hopefully, seniors (and anyone else needing advice) can take Harder, Rutti, and Bardy’s words of wisdom and utilize them as comfort. There are many paths to take, but we will end up in the right place at the end of the day, especially with a good support system and motivation. Good luck to the Senior Class of 2025 with your new journey through life, you will do great!