As the end of my senior year quickly approaches, I’m overwhelmed with emotions; happiness, bliss, nostalgia, and absolute excitement for the future. Of course I am also a bit scared for what’s to come, but let's be real, who isn’t? Looking back at the past four years of my life, I can honestly say that I have grown into a completely different person from who I was at the beginning of this journey. I think this applies to every one of my peers in some aspect. High school has taught us so many valuable lessons, and given us experiences to look back on for the rest of our lives. This is the place where we have found who we truly are; we’ve learned what kind of people we like to surround ourselves with, and we’ve created our own unique style that makes us feel proud to be us. Additionally, the lessons we’ve learned outside of our education are irreplaceable. While I’m not the commencement speaker at my graduation, here are a few things that I would say to my graduating class…
Congratulations. Each and every one of us should be so proud of ourselves. We have overcome countless obstacles throughout this experience; judgement, challenges, peer pressure and even the pressure we put on ourselves to get to this point. From sleep deprived nights, to the dreams that seemed impossible to wake up from, we have pushed ourselves to do our best and achieve the success we’re now being recognized for.
Don’t let fear stop you from moving forward. The greatest mistake a person could ever make is letting their potential go to waste- like settling for a job that doesn’t leave them excited to go back the next day or giving up on the dream that they had chased since before they had even learned to run. The possibility of failure will always be frightening, but don’t let the possibility of defeat keep you from winning the most valuable prize of all, your happiness. You will undoubtedly regret the chances you didn’t take, more than the ones you did.
Love, and love deeply. And I’m not just talking about the romantic, lovey-dovey kind. Fall in love with everything you choose to do in life. Love the job you have, and if you don’t, find one you will. Love the house you’re lucky enough to live in and love your neighbors even if they get on your nerves at times. Be thankful for the air you breathe, the ground you walk on, and everything in between. Most importantly, love yourself. You’ll be amazed at how far this love takes you.
Never stop learning. Never stop searching for new ways to grow, and fill your mind with everything from the facts you learn only through studying books, to the things you will find only by studying the people around you. Never let your thirst for knowledge die, because you never know what’s out there waiting to be discovered. You are never too young or too old learn something- even something about yourself. Your greatest passion in life may still be waiting to meet you in the future.
Now I know these may not be your typical commencement speech lessons, but I personally feel they are the most influential words you can hear. We are so consumed by numbers, grades, and the expectations of others that sometimes we forget the true meaning of life. No matter how many diplomas or academic achievements we earn, the greatest success we will ever achieve is finding happiness and peace within ourselves. We only have this one life to live, so don’t forget to stop and find happiness amidst the chaos of the world.Cheers to the class of 2016.
