A graduation anthology created as the culmination of high school life.
Many of you may find yourselves unsure what to write, even if you’d like to add a short message.
You may have plenty you want to express—resolutions and hopes for the future, words to rally us as graduates—but when you pick up the pen, it’s hard to choose.
In this article, we introduce short, fitting messages for a high school graduation anthology.
Find the one that feels right, and be sure to include it in your graduation collection!
- How to Write a Graduation Essay That Conveys Your Feelings: A Collection of Moving, Ready-to-Use Example Ideas
- [For High School Students] Ideas and Topics for Graduation Anthologies: Themes You Can Use on the Class Page
- [Graduation] Thank-you messages to teachers; messages from teachers to graduates, too
- [For Graduates] Graduation Songs and Cheer Anthems to Convey Gratitude and Support
- Funny ideas to spice up elementary school graduation yearbooks! A collection of concepts for the class page
- [Great Lyrics!!] Recommended Tear-Jerking Graduation Songs with Heartfelt, Moving Words [2026]
- [2026] A Collection of Graduation Songs Recommended for Gen Z [A Page of Youth]
- Choral Songs Sung at Elementary School Graduation Ceremonies: A Collection of Moving Song Ideas
- [2026] Entrance songs with great lyrics: wonderful, heartfelt messages
- Heartwarming songs recommended for high school students
- Recommended entrance songs for high school students: moving masterpieces and popular hits.
- [Heartfelt] A Collection of Japanese Graduation Songs to Sing and Play on Guitar [2026]
- [Recommended for High School Students] New Graduation Songs & Classic Tearjerkers Collection
For High School Students: Short Messages for Graduation Yearbooks. A Collection of Memorable Phrases (1–10)
Where there is a will, there is a way.Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln, who served as the 16th President of the United States.
His words mean that by maintaining a strong will, a path forward will surely reveal itself.
In high school life, there were likely times when your efforts didn’t lead to immediate results or when you almost lost confidence.
Even so, the experiences of facing challenges without giving up have undoubtedly become your foundation.
When you encounter difficulties from now on, if you trust the will within you and keep moving forward, the path will gradually take shape.
It’s a famous quote that reminds you of the strength to step into the future.
Ask, and it shall be given to you.
This is a famous saying, originally derived from the words of Jesus Christ in the New Testament.
After all, rather than simply waiting to be given what you want, it is essential to take the initiative and earnestly seek it with a strong heart.
This saying serves as a positive reminder of that.
When you feel like giving up, I hope you recall these words—words that seem capable of breaking through reality—engrave them deeply in your heart, and plunge into a new environment.
to lie on firewood and taste gall (an idiom meaning to endure hardship and persevere for future revenge or success)
If you want to strike a cool note with a four-character idiom, “臥薪嘗胆 (gashin-shōtan)” is a great pick! Gashin-shōtan is a phrase that comes from a Chinese historical anecdote.
Long ago, there was a king named Helü.
He was defeated by a rival state and died, but on his deathbed he asked his successor, Fuchai, to avenge him.
In order to keep his resolve sharp until he succeeded, Fuchai slept on firewood and continually reminded himself of his humiliation.
From this comes the expression gashin-shōtan, meaning “to never forget one’s humiliation.” Even if it’s not as extreme as humiliation, you can use it in the sense of “never forgetting a bitter or frustrating experience.”
Say what you mean, do what you say.
I’ve heard that Shohei Ohtani, now a Major League Baseball player, wrote in his graduation essay, “I will become a Major Leaguer in the future.” Many world-class athletes and artists also constantly declare their goals and go on to achieve them.
“Say it, then do it” is a 100% cool phrase that perfectly suits a future in which you’re striving to reach your goals.
After that phrase, you could add a concrete goal like “I will start a company that makes everyone smile” or “I will become an actor who represents Japan.” It’s also fun to add originality by changing one character in “有言実行” to create variations like “有限実行” or “遊言実行.”
Beginning of a bright future!
卒業後の人生への希望を込めて、“明るい未来の始まり！”と書くのはどうでしょうか。英語では “Beginning of a bright future!” になります。“明るい未来”を意味する “bright future” だけでも問題ありませんが、“beginning” を加えることで、新しい章への期待感がより伝わります。
Plus, there’s a simple coolness to using English.
You could also write the story leading up to graduation in the yearbook and end with this phrase.
You have to fail, or you’ll never succeed.Coco Chanel
“You have to fail in order to succeed.” This is a famous quote by the French fashion designer Coco Chanel.
Failing is embarrassing, and it’s scary to think someone might laugh at you.
But remembering this quote can give us the courage to move forward.
It’s precisely because we fail that we learn and grow.
Only then may we finally gain the strength and the right to grasp success.
If we engrave these words in our graduation yearbook, it will surely give everyone strength.
The greatest risk in life is not taking any risks.Mark Zuckerberg
These are words of wisdom from Mark Zuckerberg, the American entrepreneur known as the founder of Facebook and Meta.
They convey the importance of taking on challenges: if you’re so afraid of risk that you do nothing, you’ll end up losing opportunities as well.
Hearing this from a successful person makes you feel that facing risks is truly essential.
It’s the perfect quote to express your determination to keep challenging yourself and to charge toward your goals.
