Jennifer Garner has made sure the newest graduates of her alma mater are being sent off into the world with wisdom about everything from staying optimistic to which Halloween costume to wear.
The "13 Going on 30" actress gave a commencement speech at Denison University in Ohio on May 18 with some funny and hard-earned truths about sunscreen, mixed signals and the friends you make in college.
The 1994 Denison graduate, 47, received an honorary doctorate of humane letters before speaking to the Class of 2019 about issues big and small.
Garner also issued a hilarious "apology" on Instagram when she hashtagged a photo of herself at the ceremony with #sorryyoudidntgettheMorehouseguy.
She was referring to billionaire investor Robert Smith, who pledged to pay off all the student loan debts of this year's graduating class at Morehouse College during his commencement speech.
The mother of three ended by giving eight tips to help graduates navigate issues big and small as they go out into the world.
- Enjoy the view from up top if you go to the Grand Canyon. "Don't walk down the Grand Canyon to see what it looks like from the bottom. It's great from the top, you should do that. But when you get to the bottom, it's just a big hill, and it's a pain in the ass to climb back up."
- Smoking is gross. "Don't smoke and don't vape. We know, vaping smells like maple syrup or pineapple or cotton candy, whatever it is. But now that you're going to be adulting, it's not cute. Just don't do it."
- Sunscreen is your friend. "I'm going to say this because everyone says it, but you won't listen because nobody does: nothing looks better in your fifties than sunscreen in your twenties."
- This is how you do Halloween. "When it comes to Halloween costumes, go funny over sexy. Why would you dress like a flirty nurse when you could be a mailbox? It's an opportunity."
- There's no such thing as mixed signals. "Mixed signals are not mixed signals — they're a no."
- Three things to do in your daily life. "Impose self-discipline around three things: have a book on your bedside table at all times and read it, obviously. Be in charge of your consumption of social media, and foster a sense of humor about yourselves because otherwise, you run the risk of being boring."
- Ladies, the time is now. "If you're a woman — and pardon me for being binary for just a second — the stage has been set. The world is yours to grab. Go out and get it, girl."
- Stay in touch after graduation. "Finally, stay close to your friends from college. You've just spent four years hanging out with them. That history is invaluable. Work friends, you talk to them about work. Lovers, you talk to them about love and dinner reservations. But friends from college, you can talk to them about everything, and you can do nothing with them and still be happy."
Sounds like good advice to us!