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Graduation celebrations are erupting across the country and around the world.

On a street in Stockholm, a honking truck, heavily decorated and blasting music, slowly proceeds through traffic. In the back of the truck, a large group of kids wearing identical white caps are dancing and singing. Marking a tradition in Sweden, the students are celebrating the completion of 12 years of schooling.

At my elementary school in Ohio, the clap-out was a tradition reserved for graduating sixth-grade students. With the final bell, students, teachers and parents lined the halls, taking pictures and cheering loudly as the sixth-graders ran past. I vividly recall whipping around corners, barreling toward the front door, anticipating the fun and freedom of summer. In the moment it was pure joy. Feelings of uncertainty only crept in before the start of the new school year. Who would I sit with during lunch in the junior high cafeteria?! Would I find my locker and classes?

The senior prom and a series of well-crafted pranks signaled the completion of high school. In an orderly and tightly controlled ceremony, nearly 850 students walked across the stage to receive their diploma at the Wolstein Center in downtown Cleveland. In the following weeks, graduation parties and endless games of corn hole filled the evenings. But the freedom of summer quickly gave way to the start of a new school year and uncertainty crept into the picture once more. In a big city, on a huge campus, would I make new friends? Would I be successful in my classes?

At the end of commencement weekend at George Washington University, I was exhausted. I had spent months planning the details, even providing a formalized agenda for my family. The week consisted of senior athlete and student leader luncheons, the Class of 2011 Toast, and the Zero-Year Reunion celebration. With the Capitol Building in front of us and the Washington Monument at our backs, the commencement ceremony on the National Mall was the culmination of an incredible week. Today I am enjoying the freedom of summer. The end of July will be filled with uncertainties as the first day of work approaches in August. Will I be successful in my new position? Will I make new friends?

It is during this time that I struggle to be confident and at ease. But I know vital learning and personal growth occurs during these transitions and I will embrace the unknown. Across the world millions of students are graduating and celebrating their accomplishments. And together we will all start new adventures, nervous and excited.

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