Just to have it somewhere.
My Valedictorian speech
Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.
Before I say anything else, I would really like to take this unique opportunity to wish my mother happy birthday. She’s the petite Asian woman in the second row, to the right of the aisle. And if you bump into her later, feel free to wish her too. Ok. So.
Honoured guests, parents, sponsors, family members, loved ones, I’d like to thank all of you for being here, to share this special day with us, graduates.
Graduates
I like the sound of that word.
Graduates.
Some of us have waited a long time for this day. I look around and see faces I’ve worked alongside since January 2007, when most of us were young, fresh and so energetic. Some of us are still young, some of us are still fresh, but not that many of us are really that energetic anymore.
But here we are, poised to move on to the next phase of our lives. And rather than dwell on what we’ve gone through to get here, I’d like to talk about what we take into the future. I think, regardless of what you think of our time here, one thing that all of us can take away are the relationships and friendships we’ve built. There just aren’t many other places where one can meet so many people from so many nationalities. Before I came, I had just an average impression of the world’s different countries. I knew that Sweden gave us Ikea and gravlax, and that all Mexicans like tequila. But now, now I know that Sweden has an excellent education system but really high taxes, and that only most Mexicans, like tequila. Well, I also now know the difference between a taco, burrito, enchilada and quesadilla. But more than bits of trivia and the way around a menu, I hope we all take away friendships that we’ll sustain into the distant future. That the friends we’ve made here, the relationships we’ve established, are ones that we can rely on and believe in, no matter how far apart we are.
So I’ll be awaiting wedding invitations... You people know who you are.
I also want to take this chance, to thank the people who’ve helped us arrive here today. To our sponsors, our parents and our loved ones. Thank you. For your support, belief and faith. I’d like to thank my mother for my chance to be here, for raising me to be who I am. The only reason I’m standing here, making a speech today, is because of how she raised me.
To our lecturers, for always being vibrant and passionate, showing that a gruff, old exterior *COUGH* can still contain a young heart. Personally, I’d like to thank Mr Remy, for always being so genuinely concerned about whether I was fine. Mr Eckles, for his sharp sense of humour and choice nicknames for students. Ms Ninan, for challenging us to think beyond our social and political perspectives and for being kind enough to humour me whenever I asked the most tangential questions. Which was, all the time. Dr Imboden and Ms Pulfrey, for showing me that research and statistics are far more interesting than anyone gives them credit for. No. Seriously. And to all of you, my fellow graduates, for making these semesters fun, exciting and memorable. To all those of you I have worked with, whether in HO1-3, or in this last year, thank you.
I’d also like to thank Mr Clive Taylor and Ms Claire Jeannerat, for always being supportive of any activities I suggested, or any ideas I had, particularly on behalf of the Singaporean community here in Les Roches.
Don’t worry, I’m almost finished. I’ve made all the jokes I could think of, and hopefully thanked all the people I should have. If I haven’t thanked you and I should have, I sincerely apologise, and please know that it is not because you weren’t important or appreciated. It is because graduating can make one giddy and forgetful. Much like age or alcohol.
I want to close by wishing my fellow BBA graduates of Winter 2010 all the best. Things will probably only get more difficult from here on out, and figuring out what you want in life sounds a lot easier than it is. But do that. Decide. Work for it. Fight for it. Seize it. Don’t let your worth be dictated to you. Don’t let the world make your decisions. Choose a goal in life. And settle for nothing less.
Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.
Before I say anything else, I would really like to take this unique opportunity to wish my mother happy birthday. She’s the petite Asian woman in the second row, to the right of the aisle. And if you bump into her later, feel free to wish her too. Ok. So.
Honoured guests, parents, sponsors, family members, loved ones, I’d like to thank all of you for being here, to share this special day with us, graduates.
Graduates
I like the sound of that word.
Graduates.
Some of us have waited a long time for this day. I look around and see faces I’ve worked alongside since January 2007, when most of us were young, fresh and so energetic. Some of us are still young, some of us are still fresh, but not that many of us are really that energetic anymore.
But here we are, poised to move on to the next phase of our lives. And rather than dwell on what we’ve gone through to get here, I’d like to talk about what we take into the future. I think, regardless of what you think of our time here, one thing that all of us can take away are the relationships and friendships we’ve built. There just aren’t many other places where one can meet so many people from so many nationalities. Before I came, I had just an average impression of the world’s different countries. I knew that Sweden gave us Ikea and gravlax, and that all Mexicans like tequila. But now, now I know that Sweden has an excellent education system but really high taxes, and that only most Mexicans, like tequila. Well, I also now know the difference between a taco, burrito, enchilada and quesadilla. But more than bits of trivia and the way around a menu, I hope we all take away friendships that we’ll sustain into the distant future. That the friends we’ve made here, the relationships we’ve established, are ones that we can rely on and believe in, no matter how far apart we are.
So I’ll be awaiting wedding invitations... You people know who you are.
I also want to take this chance, to thank the people who’ve helped us arrive here today. To our sponsors, our parents and our loved ones. Thank you. For your support, belief and faith. I’d like to thank my mother for my chance to be here, for raising me to be who I am. The only reason I’m standing here, making a speech today, is because of how she raised me.
To our lecturers, for always being vibrant and passionate, showing that a gruff, old exterior *COUGH* can still contain a young heart. Personally, I’d like to thank Mr Remy, for always being so genuinely concerned about whether I was fine. Mr Eckles, for his sharp sense of humour and choice nicknames for students. Ms Ninan, for challenging us to think beyond our social and political perspectives and for being kind enough to humour me whenever I asked the most tangential questions. Which was, all the time. Dr Imboden and Ms Pulfrey, for showing me that research and statistics are far more interesting than anyone gives them credit for. No. Seriously. And to all of you, my fellow graduates, for making these semesters fun, exciting and memorable. To all those of you I have worked with, whether in HO1-3, or in this last year, thank you.
I’d also like to thank Mr Clive Taylor and Ms Claire Jeannerat, for always being supportive of any activities I suggested, or any ideas I had, particularly on behalf of the Singaporean community here in Les Roches.
Don’t worry, I’m almost finished. I’ve made all the jokes I could think of, and hopefully thanked all the people I should have. If I haven’t thanked you and I should have, I sincerely apologise, and please know that it is not because you weren’t important or appreciated. It is because graduating can make one giddy and forgetful. Much like age or alcohol.
I want to close by wishing my fellow BBA graduates of Winter 2010 all the best. Things will probably only get more difficult from here on out, and figuring out what you want in life sounds a lot easier than it is. But do that. Decide. Work for it. Fight for it. Seize it. Don’t let your worth be dictated to you. Don’t let the world make your decisions. Choose a goal in life. And settle for nothing less.