March 24, 2025
Graduation is a big moment, it is more than a graduation caps and graduation cords. It’s the end of one chapter and the beginning of something new. Whether you’re feeling excited, nervous, or a little bit of both, the right words can help you make sense of it all. That’s why we’ve gathered some of the best graduation quotes to inspire, encourage, and make you smile. From funny one-liners to powerful advice, these quotes are perfect for speeches, yearbooks, or just to keep in your heart as you move forward.
What to Write in a Graduation Card
When writing a graduation card, keep your message clear and thoughtful. Start with a simple “congratulations” and acknowledge the graduate’s achievement. If you know their future plans, you can include a short note of encouragement or advice. Avoid writing too much, just a few sentences are enough. Including a quote to go with your graduation gift is a great way to add meaning to your message. You can give them the card at their graduation party or you can mail it to them! Choose one that fits the graduate’s personality or goals. Whether it’s inspiring or lighthearted, a well-chosen quote can help your message stand out.
Best Graduation Quotes
Graduation Quotes About Dreams and Aspirations
Graduation symbolizes endings and beginnings. The future is bright after graduation, so choosing a quote about dreams and aspirations is very appropriate for this time.
- “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” – Henry David Thoreau
- “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
- “Chase your dreams but always know the road that’ll lead you home again.” – Tim McGraw
- “Dream big and dare to fail.” – Norman Vaughan
- “Believe you can, and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt
- “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” – Steve Jobs
- “Follow your passion, stay true to yourself, and never follow someone else’s path… unless you’re lost in the woods and you see a path. Then by all means, follow that path.” – Ellen DeGeneres
- “Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.” – Jennifer Lee
- “Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” – George Addair
- “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” – Les Brown
- “The only impossible journey is the one you never begin.” – Tony Robbins
- “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky
- “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow is our doubts of today.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
- “Never be limited by other people’s limited imaginations.” – Dr. Mae Jemison
- “If you can imagine it, you can achieve it; if you can dream it, you can become it.” – William Arthur Ward
- “If you can dream it, you can do it.” – Walt Disney
- “Dream big, because life is too short to think small.” – Unknown
- “Create the highest, grandest vision possible for your life, because you become what you believe.” – Oprah Winfrey
- “Every great dream begins with a dreamer.” – Harriet Tubman
- “If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.” – Vincent van Gogh
- “Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you believe that you, too, can become great.” – Mark Twain
Graduation Quotes About Hard Work and Success
Whether it is high school, middle school, or college, it takes a lot of hard work and effort to graduate. Use a graduation quote that reflects this hard work!
- “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” – Abraham Lincoln
- “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” – Will Rogers
- “The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking spaces.” – Will Rogers
- “Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get.” – Dale Carnegie
- “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill
- “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” – Colin Powell
- “Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill
- “Success isn’t about what you accomplish, it’s about who you inspire.” – Unknown
- “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success.” – Albert Schweitzer
- “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” – Milton Berle
- “Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.” – Babe Ruth
- “Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.” – Sam Levenson
- “Don’t wait for opportunity. Create it.” – Unknown
- “Opportunities don’t happen. You create them.” – Chris Grosser
- “Work hard in silence, let success be your noise.” – Frank Ocean
- “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe
- “Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” – John D. Rockefeller
- “Go the extra mile. It’s never crowded.” – Wayne Dyer
- “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” – Neale Donald Walsch
- “A little progress each day adds up to big results.” – Unknown
- “Wake up with determination. Go to bed with satisfaction.” – Unknown
- “Work hard, stay humble.” – Unknown
- “You are capable of amazing things.” – Unknown
- “Keep hustling, keep growing, keep shining.” – Unknown
- “Your future is created by what you do today, not tomorrow.” – Robert Kiyosaki
- “Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try.” – Unknown
- “Do something today that your future self will thank you for.” – Unknown
- “You didn’t come this far only to come this far.” – Tom Brady
- “Work until your idols become your rivals.” – Drake
- “If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you.” – Fred DeVito
- “Go be great. The world is waiting.” – Unknown
- “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
- “Opportunity does not knock. It presents itself when you beat down the door.” – Kyle Chandler
Education & Learning Quotes
Choosing a quote about education is a meaningful way to honor the learning, growth, and challenges that shaped the journey. Education is more than just books and tests, it’s about discovering who you are and preparing for the life ahead.
- “Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead.” – Nora Ephron
- “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela
- “Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
- “The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.” – B.B. King
- “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” – John Dewey
- “Education is the movement from darkness to light.” – Allan Bloom
- “Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.” – Malcolm Forbes
- “Education is not just about learning facts but training the mind to think.” – Albert Einstein
- “Never stop learning, because life never stops teaching.” – Unknown
- “Knowledge will bring you the opportunity to make a difference.” – Claire Fagin
- “Education is the movement from darkness to light.” – Allan Bloom (duplicate theme in this category)
- “Your education is a dress rehearsal for the life that is yours to lead.” – Nora Ephron (duplicate theme)
- “What we learn with pleasure we never forget.” – Alfred Mercier
Inspirational Graduation Quotes
Graduation is such an inspirational moment. It’s a time to reflect on all the hard work, growth, and determination that led to this day. It marks the end of one chapter and the exciting beginning of another, filled with new dreams and endless possibilities. That being said, choosing one of the following inspirational quotes is a great option for graduation!
- “Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” – C.S. Lewis
- “Life is an improvisation. You have no idea what’s going to happen next and you are mostly making things up as you go along.” – Stephen Colbert
- “Wherever you go, go with all your heart.” – Confucius
- “Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” – Unknown
- “Go forth and set the world on fire.” – St. Ignatius of Loyola
- “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi
- “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.” – Dr. Seuss
- “Your life is your story, and the adventure ahead of you is the journey to fulfill your own purpose and potential.” – Kerry Washington
- “Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” – John Wooden
- “Do what you feel in your heart to be right—for you’ll be criticized anyway.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
- “It’s not about perfect. It’s about effort. And when you bring that effort every single day, that’s where transformation happens.” – Jillian Michaels
- “Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” – George Bernard Shaw
- “Go out into the world and do well. But more importantly, go out into the world and do good.” – Minor Myers Jr.
- “Your journey has molded you for the greater good…” – Asha Tyson
- “Keep learning. Keep growing. Keep pushing yourself beyond what you think is possible.” – Unknown
- “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” – Robert Louis Stevenson
- “Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.” – Mother Teresa
- “Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions.” – Dalai Lama
- “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” – Albert Einstein
- “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela
- “Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way!” – Dr. Seuss
- “Life is an adventure. Go out and make yours legendary.” – Unknown
- “The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers. But above all, the world needs dreamers who do.” – Sarah Ban Breathnach
- “This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” – Winston Churchill
- “Success isn’t about what you accomplish, it’s about who you inspire.” – Unknown
- “Your life is your message to the world. Make it inspiring.” – Unknown
- “Make mistakes, take chances, be silly, be imperfect, trust yourself, and follow your heart.” – Unknown
- “Happiness is not by chance, but by choice.” – Jim Rohn
- “You can’t have a better tomorrow if you’re still thinking about yesterday.” – Charles F. Kettering
- “This is the beginning of anything you want.” – Unknown
- “You are your only limit.” – Unknown
- “Make today amazing.” – Unknown
- “Create your own sunshine.” – Unknown
- “Small steps lead to big things.” – Unknown
- “Stay curious, keep learning.” – Unknown
- “Be bold, be courageous, be your best.” – Gabrielle Giffords
- “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” – Mahatma Gandhi
- “Never stop learning, because life never stops teaching.” – Unknown (also in Education)
- “Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.” – Suzy Kassem
- “Be proud of how far you have come.” – Unknown
- “New beginnings, endless possibilities.” – Unknown
- “Trust the magic of new beginnings.” – Unknown
- “This is your time to shine.” – Unknown
- “Don’t just make a living, make a life.” – Dolly Parton
- “Success is a journey, not a destination.” – Arthur Ashe
- “Dream big, work hard, stay focused, and surround yourself with good people.” – Unknown
- “You didn’t come this far only to come this far.” – Unknown
- “The past is your lesson, the present is your gift, and the future is your motivation.” – Unknown
- “This is not goodbye; this is the next chapter.” – Unknown
- “Don’t settle for a career. Build a life.” – Unknown
- “Your degree is just a stepping stone to your dreams.” – Unknown
- “You are capable of amazing things.” – Unknown (also in Success)
- “Make yourself proud.” – Unknown
- “Your life is your message to the world. Make it inspiring.” – Unknown
- “You have within you right now, everything you need to deal with whatever the world can throw at you.” – Brian Tracy
- “You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
- “When nothing goes right, go left.” – Kristin Hansen
- “It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” – E.E. Cummings
- “If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.” – Dolly Parton
- “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” – Anne Frank
- “Don’t try too hard to fit in, and certainly don’t try too hard to be different… just try hard to be you.” – Zendaya
- “The horizon leans forward, offering you space to place new steps of change.” – Maya Angelou
- “We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
- “Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world straight in the eye.” – Helen Keller
Funny Graduation Quotes
Using a funny graduation quote is a great way to lighten the mood and bring a smile to everyone’s face during a big milestone. It adds personality, shows confidence, and helps graduates and their families celebrate the moment with laughter and joy.
- “You are now about to enter the real world. Brace yourself. It’s expensive.” – Unknown
- “So, what’s it like in the real world? Well, the food is better, but beyond that, I don’t recommend it.” – Bill Watterson
- “Graduation is like the day of reckoning. You will be judged based on what you have learned. Fortunately, if you’re wearing a cap and gown, no one expects you to know too much.” – Robert Orben
- “My dear terrified graduates, you are about to enter the most uncertain and thrilling period of your lives.” – Lin-Manuel Miranda
- “Don’t worry too much about the world ending today. It’s already tomorrow in Australia.” – Charles Schulz
- “Life has no remote. Get up and change it yourself.” – Unknown
- “To those of you who received honors, awards, and distinctions, I say well done. And to the C students, I say you too can be president of the United States.” – George W. Bush
- “You will never have more energy or enthusiasm, hair, or brain cells than you have today.” – Tom & Ray Magliozzi
- “Graduation: The moment you realize that adulting is real.” – Unknown
- “As you graduate, remember: A diploma is just a piece of paper, but student loans are forever.” – Unknown
- “Life after graduation: You now have to pay for Wi-Fi.” – Unknown
- “The only time to be positive you’re headed in the right direction is when you’re walking across the stage.” – Unknown
- “Dear parents, thanks for the tuition. We made it!” – Every Graduate Ever
- “Always be the smartest person in the room… unless you’re in a room full of people smarter than you. Then be the one who brought snacks.” – Unknown
- “Welcome to the real world, where fun ends and responsibilities begin.” – Unknown
- “Just remember: when you think life is tough, college was worse. Congrats!” – Unknown
- “Well, that was easy! Just kidding.” – Unknown
- “I want to thank Google, Wikipedia, and whoever invented copy and paste.” – Unknown
- “I would like to thank my coffee for getting me through college.” – Unknown
- “The struggle was real, but so was the Wi-Fi.” – Unknown
- “We came. We saw. We conquered. We took naps.” – Unknown
- “I always knew my graduation day would come. I just didn’t think it would be so soon.” – Unknown
- “Some people graduate with honors, I am just honored to graduate.” – Unknown
- “Congrats! You have now graduated from taking notes to paying bills.” – Unknown
- “The tassel was worth the hassle.” – Unknown
Religious Quotes for Graduation
- “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
- “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” – Proverbs 16:3 (NIV)
- “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” – Philippians 4:13 (KJV)
- “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9 (NIV)
- “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” – Proverbs 3:5 (NIV)
- “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” – Psalm 37:4 (NIV)
- “The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” – Psalm 121:8 (NIV)
- “God is within her; she will not fall.” – Psalm 46:5 (NIV)
- “Let your light shine before others.” – Matthew 5:16 (NIV)
- “Do everything in love.” – 1 Corinthians 16:14 (NIV)
Song Lyric Quotes
Sometimes the best way to express yourself is through song lyrics! If there is a song lyric that reflects how you feel, go ahead and use it as a graduation quote!
- “I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean.” – “I Hope You Dance” by Lee Ann Womack
- “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” – “Closing Time” by Semisonic
- “This is your life, are you who you want to be?” – “This is Your Life” by Switchfoot
- “It’s something unpredictable, but in the end it’s right. I hope you had the time of your life.” – “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” by Green Day
- “Reach for the stars so if you fall, you land on a cloud.” – “Homecoming” by Kanye West
- “Today is where your book begins. The rest is still unwritten.” – “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield
- “A million dreams are keeping me awake.” – *”A Million Dreams” from The Greatest Showman
- “Go on and try to tear me down. I will be rising from the ground like a skyscraper.” – “Skyscraper” by Demi Lovato
- “You can go your own way!” – “Go Your Own Way” by Fleetwood Mac
- “I’ve got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire.” – “Roar” by Katy Perry
- “Started from the bottom now we’re here.” – “Started From the Bottom” by Drake
- “I’m on top of the world, hey!” – “On Top of the World” by Imagine Dragons
- “We are young, so let’s set the world on fire.” – “We Are Young” by Fun.
- “I’m gonna live like tomorrow doesn’t exist.” – “Chandelier” by Sia
- “Baby, you’re a firework. Come on, let your colors burst.” – “Firework” by Katy Perry
- “I got the moves like Jagger.” – “Moves Like Jagger” by Maroon 5
- “This girl is on fire!” – “Girl on Fire” by Alicia Keys
- “Welcome to the good life.” – “Good Life” by Kanye West feat. T-Pain
- “I’m feeling 22!” – “22” by Taylor Swift
- “Don’t stop believin’.” – “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey
- “I’ve had the time of my life, and I owe it all to you.” – “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” by Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes
- “We’re on the edge of glory.” – “The Edge of Glory” by Lady Gaga
- “I’ve been waiting for my dreams to turn into something I could believe in.” – “One Step at a Time” by Jordin Sparks
- And I’ll rise up, I’ll rise like the day.” – “Rise Up” by Andra Day
- “You’ve got your whole life ahead of you.” – “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus
- “Hey look ma, I made it!” – “Hey Look Ma, I Made It” by Panic! At the Disco
- “No one can hold us back, we’ll run where we want to go.” – “Try Everything” by Shakira
- “Here’s to the ones who dream, foolish as they may seem.” – *”Audition (The Fools Who Dream)” from La La Land
- “We’re breaking free, we’re soaring, flying.” – *”Breaking Free” from High School Musical
- “I’m on my way, driving at 90 down those country lanes.” – “Castle on the Hill” by Ed Sheeran
- “We’re all in this together. Once we know that we are, we’re all stars.” – *”We’re All In This Together” from High School Musical
- “I’m just a believer that things will get better.” – “Believer” by Imagine Dragons