Dear Graduate,
If you're here, you're probably wondering why I sent you money with PayPal when you don't even have a PayPal account.
The answer is that it's my way of encouraging you to get one. This way my graduation gift to you is not just money, but also the PayPal account itself. You're graduating into the 21st century and it's pretty cool that you can actually send money thousands of miles, instantly, over email. You should try it sometime.
Why?
First of all, a PayPal account is a pretty convenient way to pay for things online. But it's also a good way to send money between family and friends. Remember that friend who borrowed money for lunch last week? He has money, but just didn't have any cash with him. Well, now you've graduated and you're never going to see him again. If he had PayPal, he could've sent you the money right then. Or he could send it to you now.
Even if you're going on a religious mission soon, or joining the armed forces, a PayPal account would be a good way for family and friends to send you money.
Good passwords
The only warning I have for you is to make sure you choose a good password. After all, this account will be tied to your money, and perhaps your bank account.
- Don't use the same password you use on other sites.
- Don't use something simple like your name or your age.
One good strategy is to choose a sentence or a unique phrase (but not something obvious) and make a password out of the first letter of each word. If you need to write it down, then keep it somewhere safe, like inside your wallet. If you do forget your strong password, you can always reset it from your email account. (I recommend having a strong password on your email account, too, by the way. I also recommend turning on two-factor authentication, which means you'll need to have your phone to log in.)
Feel free to email me if you have questions about any of this.
Congratulations on graduating! Enjoy your PayPal account and welcome to the 21st century.
~ Andrew Jennings