What advice would you give?

A young friend of mine (and theo-fan's) is graduating from high school. This got me thinking and reflecting on life, as most of us approach the midway point. Looking back, and looking at where we are and how we've come to be where we are, what advice would you offer a high school graduate about to venture out into the world?

If your son or daughter came to you and said, 'Mom, Dad, what should I do with my life? What should I pursue? How important is financial security? How important is it to pursue my passions?', what advice?

Adventure

How important is adventure to the human spirit? Do we need adventure? I've been thinking about childhood adventure, and about books like Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. Is a childhood without adventure a stunted childhood?
What about adults? Our lives often seem so safe, so controlled, so dictated by necessities. Does this mean that we have traded in passion for security?
To me, adventure conjures up images of vitality, both of body and spirit. We are most alive when we are in the midst of adventure. I suppose I most readily associate adventure with surfing, whitewater kayaking, rafting, backpacking, and things of that nature. To me, this sort of adventure not only makes me feel alive, but it also makes me feel connected -- I feel like I intimately belong to this world in which I live. This feeling is paramount to the well-being of my soul.
So, how 'bout y'all? How do you define adventure? How important is it to the human experience?