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My Valedictorian Speech for the Zoom Class of 2020

Dear You,


I am so proud of you. 4 years of your life has culminated to this moment. You're done!


You may not know exactly how to feel about it all ending, especially at a time like this. It's completely all right if being done is kind of a let down or you just want to move on. No one expected to be in the middle of a worldwide pandemic and be graduating.


Because you're finishing school up at a time like this, you're tough stuff. Online school is definitely not easy, but you made it work. Was it difficult? Absolutely. But you're an old pro; you got the job done and you have a piece of paper to show for it.


Graduating is one of those rare moments in life where thinking about your past is encouraged. It's one of those rare moments where you think of right now, but also what came before this moment, as well as what lies ahead.



Think of everything that's happened in the past 4 or 5 years. How different are you than when you started this journey? Think of all the lessons you've learnt, either academic or not, and be amazed at yourself. ALL that personal growth. ALL that effort. YOU did that.


Think of all the times you've cried and thought, "I can't do this!". Look at the person you are now and feel that sense of pride. Your resilience is freaking awesome. You're trailblazers: you're ending your academic career when the world is shutting down.


Oh, oops. I forgot to include the staples of a good graduation speech. Sorry.


Ahem.


The world is your oyster. Take the bull by the horns and pave a new future for you. You have the academic credentials and the experience now to go out into the world and make a name for yourself.


Whether you're continuing on with more school, entering the work force or taking some time off to think about your next move, I'd like to offer some career advice as someone in the same boat as you.


You will always regret not taking that chance.

It's not remarkable to play it safe and follow the footsteps of everyone else just because you're not sure what to do next. You know, deep in your heart, what you should be doing. If it's a hard plan to execute, take some time to relax and come up with a step by step plan to reach your goal.


You have your entire life ahead of you. That means, you have room to mess up. It'll be a good story to tell if you do mess up.


Everyone is freaking out, even if they don't show it.

You might be on your social media and look at all these people that announce their plans after school. "I just got accepted into Harvard with a full scholarship and Michelle Obama is my new best friend #blessed" or "Heh, I got my dream job and I'm getting paid $500,000 a year now" plastered all over your feed. I mean, those may be exaggerated but you probably still get a sinking feeling when reading any kind of announcement.


What they don't show is the bad stuff. Someone who got into her dream university might have been on the waitlist for a long time, or she knows someone in the admissions department. Someone who got his dream job might have worked his entire academic career just to gain experience for an unpaid internship there.


It is okay if you don't know what you're doing. That just means you have more adventures to go on before you decide on your next move. Repeat after me: THERE IS NO TIMELINE.


Your definition of success is different than your friend's definition.


You may have wanted to become a doctor four years ago, and now you want to teach. That's the situation I'm in. I don't want you to listen to the people telling you that another job will make you more money, that there are no jobs in your field, or that another job is more rewarding.


They are not the ones who will be doing the job, you are. You need to be happy where you work. Plus, at age 70, you'll definitely be feeling the regret of not following your dreams and listening to that irrelevant stranger who gave you unsolicited career advice. Do it for you.


Look. You have the weirdest graduation in the world, no contest. You'll get a virtual graduation with your degree or diploma sent in the mail. The memories you make for this moment will be extremely weird, but that's okay! Celebrate finishing school by getting a pizza or by doing a socially distanced gathering with your friends. It seems silly now, but you'll look back fondly at the memories you make now.


If you're graduating this year, send me a DM on Instagram or comment below so I can send you a congratulations!


Peace out!

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