Here's to the nights we felt a live...
Alright, tomorrow is my last day of high school... ever. I gotta
recognize. It's gonna be a deep one. To those who have ever sent a
friendly smile my way, those I no longer talk to as often as I used to, and those who have been there from the start, this is for you:
I just can't believe it. This is seriously the only time in my entire life when I've felt like I just don't want school to end... I listen to all these Eve 6, Billy Joel and OAR songs and it just makes me think of all the awesome times I've had over the past four, eight, thirteen years. And it makes me realize how much we've grown. I mean a part of me smiles and is completely amazed by everything, but the other part of me doesn't know what to do with itself. Sure I'm gonna miss my closest friends like hell, but I know I'm not losing them. What I'm really going to miss is all the other people. I'm gonna miss the open house parties, and the classes, and the crowded hallways. I mean really, I probably won't see half these kids ever again. Granted, I was never friends with everybody at West Islip High School, but that doesn't mean they weren't a part of my experience there. Even the assholes - I'm gonna miss them too. Well... maybe not. Honestly, looking back, I realize that I've enjoyed every moment here, even the bad ones. The fun we've had, the shit we've been through, and all the people along the way - it's all made me who I am today, and I can't thank every single one of you enough.
WIHS Class of 2005 - My hat's off to you all. Congratulations and good luck in everything that you do. And don't forget to keep in touch - all of you. Here's to good times, good laughs, good friends and the days I'll never forget. Blue and gold for life. Go lions.
I'm going to leave you all with this. I wrote it six months ago for Schaefer's Public Speaking class. My imaginary commencement address:
Good morning. Thank you parents, friends and teachers for being here to celebrate this day. And congratulations to the West Islip High School graduating Class of 2005. We did it. It’s been an uphill journey in getting to this day. There were plenty of bumps and turns, but here we are after a lifetime of building up to this moment.
Nearly our entire lives have been spent learning. Math, Science, History, English - our teachers have taught us so much. But it is the education I have received outside of the textbooks that I value most.
Four years ago, we walked through the doors of West Islip High School frightened and inexperienced. For four years we have grown physically, mentally, and emotionally. We have discovered ourselves and created self-values and morals. Every one of us has experienced pain, suffering, grief, joy, success, failure, love and hate.
And it is that point that we so often lose sight of - the fact that despite our differences, we are all alike. "If we saw each other as more alike, we might be very eager to join in one big human family in this world, and to care about that family the way we care about our own..." Morrie Schwartz said. "We all have the same beginning - birth - and we all have the same end - death. So how different can we be?"
How different can we be? I ask you now to focus for a moment.
I want you to think of a time when you have felt sorrow... To think of a time when you have felt enraged... Of a time when you have felt deceived... A time when you have felt overwhelmed... Afraid, envious, confused, or distressed... Think of a time when you have felt completely alone, like the entire world has abandoned you and you are utterly helpless... I would be shocked to believe that any person here today has not felt every one of these emotions. But now think of a time when you have felt loved... A time when you have felt appreciated, accomplished, or proud. I would again be surprised to think any one of you has not experienced these feelings as well.
Being a teenager is not easy. It is not easy to deal with 18,000 things at the same time. It is not easy to mend a broken heart. It is not easy to live up to the expectations of our parents, our teachers, and our friends. But as Morrie would say, you have to ask yourself, "Am I going to withdraw from the world, like most people do, or am I going to live?" When things don’t go your way, you must always choose to live, and to learn, "with dignity, with courage, with humor, and with composure." Know that you are never alone.
Fall down. Get up. Love who you’ve become. And don’t sweat the small stuff.
An English teacher of mine once taught me a very valuable lesson. She taught me the difference between a problem and an inconvenience. Most things that many consider problems in life are actually just inconveniences. Broken hearts are eventually mended and broken nails will grow back. These things are not "problems." But when there is no food on our tables or no roof over our heads, it is then that we have a problem. Fortunately, most of us do not face these issues. But the next time that life is beating up on you, ask yourself, "Is this a problem or an inconvenience?" You will find life much more enjoyable, and tolerable, this way. Remember that life goes on.
But remember too that we are not invincible, no matter how much we may think we are. I hear the real world is pretty rough, and no matter how hard some of us may try, we can’t stay eighteen forever.
And so I refer to Morrie Schwartz once more:
"So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they’re busy doing things they think are important. This is because they’re chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning."
I hope that in all of your future endeavors, all of you may find this meaning in life. Set goals for yourself and strive to achieve them. Fall down. Get up. Love who you’ve become. With each failure and each defeat, make yourself a better person. And never lose faith.
Finally, I would like to take a moment to thank all of you for all that you have done. To my best friends, my parents, my teachers, and those I’d only pass in the hallways, I am indebted to you all. For without any single one of you, I would not be the person that I am today. I wish you all the best of luck, as well as success and happiness in all that you do. Never lose sight of your goals, and remember, as one door closes, another always opens. The rest is up to you.
I just can't believe it. This is seriously the only time in my entire life when I've felt like I just don't want school to end... I listen to all these Eve 6, Billy Joel and OAR songs and it just makes me think of all the awesome times I've had over the past four, eight, thirteen years. And it makes me realize how much we've grown. I mean a part of me smiles and is completely amazed by everything, but the other part of me doesn't know what to do with itself. Sure I'm gonna miss my closest friends like hell, but I know I'm not losing them. What I'm really going to miss is all the other people. I'm gonna miss the open house parties, and the classes, and the crowded hallways. I mean really, I probably won't see half these kids ever again. Granted, I was never friends with everybody at West Islip High School, but that doesn't mean they weren't a part of my experience there. Even the assholes - I'm gonna miss them too. Well... maybe not. Honestly, looking back, I realize that I've enjoyed every moment here, even the bad ones. The fun we've had, the shit we've been through, and all the people along the way - it's all made me who I am today, and I can't thank every single one of you enough.
WIHS Class of 2005 - My hat's off to you all. Congratulations and good luck in everything that you do. And don't forget to keep in touch - all of you. Here's to good times, good laughs, good friends and the days I'll never forget. Blue and gold for life. Go lions.
I'm going to leave you all with this. I wrote it six months ago for Schaefer's Public Speaking class. My imaginary commencement address:
Good morning. Thank you parents, friends and teachers for being here to celebrate this day. And congratulations to the West Islip High School graduating Class of 2005. We did it. It’s been an uphill journey in getting to this day. There were plenty of bumps and turns, but here we are after a lifetime of building up to this moment.
Nearly our entire lives have been spent learning. Math, Science, History, English - our teachers have taught us so much. But it is the education I have received outside of the textbooks that I value most.
Four years ago, we walked through the doors of West Islip High School frightened and inexperienced. For four years we have grown physically, mentally, and emotionally. We have discovered ourselves and created self-values and morals. Every one of us has experienced pain, suffering, grief, joy, success, failure, love and hate.
And it is that point that we so often lose sight of - the fact that despite our differences, we are all alike. "If we saw each other as more alike, we might be very eager to join in one big human family in this world, and to care about that family the way we care about our own..." Morrie Schwartz said. "We all have the same beginning - birth - and we all have the same end - death. So how different can we be?"
How different can we be? I ask you now to focus for a moment.
I want you to think of a time when you have felt sorrow... To think of a time when you have felt enraged... Of a time when you have felt deceived... A time when you have felt overwhelmed... Afraid, envious, confused, or distressed... Think of a time when you have felt completely alone, like the entire world has abandoned you and you are utterly helpless... I would be shocked to believe that any person here today has not felt every one of these emotions. But now think of a time when you have felt loved... A time when you have felt appreciated, accomplished, or proud. I would again be surprised to think any one of you has not experienced these feelings as well.
Being a teenager is not easy. It is not easy to deal with 18,000 things at the same time. It is not easy to mend a broken heart. It is not easy to live up to the expectations of our parents, our teachers, and our friends. But as Morrie would say, you have to ask yourself, "Am I going to withdraw from the world, like most people do, or am I going to live?" When things don’t go your way, you must always choose to live, and to learn, "with dignity, with courage, with humor, and with composure." Know that you are never alone.
Fall down. Get up. Love who you’ve become. And don’t sweat the small stuff.
An English teacher of mine once taught me a very valuable lesson. She taught me the difference between a problem and an inconvenience. Most things that many consider problems in life are actually just inconveniences. Broken hearts are eventually mended and broken nails will grow back. These things are not "problems." But when there is no food on our tables or no roof over our heads, it is then that we have a problem. Fortunately, most of us do not face these issues. But the next time that life is beating up on you, ask yourself, "Is this a problem or an inconvenience?" You will find life much more enjoyable, and tolerable, this way. Remember that life goes on.
But remember too that we are not invincible, no matter how much we may think we are. I hear the real world is pretty rough, and no matter how hard some of us may try, we can’t stay eighteen forever.
And so I refer to Morrie Schwartz once more:
"So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they’re busy doing things they think are important. This is because they’re chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning."
I hope that in all of your future endeavors, all of you may find this meaning in life. Set goals for yourself and strive to achieve them. Fall down. Get up. Love who you’ve become. With each failure and each defeat, make yourself a better person. And never lose faith.
Finally, I would like to take a moment to thank all of you for all that you have done. To my best friends, my parents, my teachers, and those I’d only pass in the hallways, I am indebted to you all. For without any single one of you, I would not be the person that I am today. I wish you all the best of luck, as well as success and happiness in all that you do. Never lose sight of your goals, and remember, as one door closes, another always opens. The rest is up to you.