Toto
Yesterday I auditioned for one of the two spots to give speeches at graduation, which, by the way, is really only a month or so away. I know a few of you have yet to come grasp the idea that within several months, we'll all be going our separate directions, "starting new stages of our lives," if you will. For the past few months, I'd like to think I had come to terms with leaving this place, but I'm sure by now you've all come to know just how fucked up my mind is. But either way, I didn't make one of the two spots, but I thought I'd share with you guys what I wrote. You know, just for kicks~ (You'll notice I pay homage to one of the greatest half-hours of television EVAR.)
---
"Toto"
As the near-perfect mirror reflections of real life that are television teen dramas would dictate, right about now is when I’d give a speech that reveals the key to ultimate success in life and I spew unto you sage-like advice from the almighty fountain of knowledge that is... my mouth; epiphany-status advice that is a culmination of my past four years here at John A. Rowland High School.
…
Pleh.
Oh, come on. I mean, really, I’m not even 18 yet. How much about all of life can I possibly know? How much about life can any of us really know? None of us have yet to “succeed” in life, nor can any of us really know what the “key to success” is. Or, more importantly, none of us have yet to “fail,” even if you feel you have.
We are in fact, for the lack of a less cliché term, at a crossroads in life. And whatever insecurities or hesitations that may be fermenting in the back of your mind right now, whether it be the fear that you’re lacking the brains, the courage, or even the heart to push forward, know that if there’s one thing you can be sure of in this stage of your life, it’s your friends.
But all the drama! Crushes, relationships, flings, “oh no he didn’t,” “oh no she didn’t,” “oh no they didn’t, girlfriend”
Trust me, the strongest friendships need some drama every now and then. And if anything, it’s after a one-year hiatus from one-another that you finally realize how much they meant to you.
The old adage goes: “carpe diem.” But it’s not about seizing the day, it’s about holding onto, and more importantly appreciating, what you already have.
Don’t be so quick to abandon your existing friendships just because of some silly fling. Because, as I was told, the biggest difference between college and high school is that in college, you don’t make friends, but rather friends with agendas.
He’ll be friends with him because he’s good at math, or he’ll be friends with her because she can hook him with up with some quality… school supplies. And you’ll find yourself just as easily doing the same. But what’s more is how easily those friendships will dissipate as soon as that agenda is met.
For the past four years, we’ve been making friends for the sake of making friends, and more often than not, it will be these agenda-less friendships that carry on.
Now, I’m not telling you to go and be as nice and chipper as you possibly can be to everyone you’ll ever meet. Don’t. Don’t try to go around pleasing all the people all the time. You’ll find that, in the end, it’ll just have been a big waste of time and effort.
Let’s face it, there will be people that you meet in life that’d you’d much rather just wish an infestation of angry sea lions upon.
But, and I quote, “understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few should you hold on.” And it’s the relationships with these precious few for whom you hold back the sea lions, that you must hold on to.
No matter how far apart from one another you may end up, holding on is a two-way street. Work hard to bridge these gaps, because you know as well as I do that what comes from the friendships with these precious few is nothing short of magic.
Because every so often, a wizard does, in fact, come along and tell you exactly what you needed to hear; and you’ll find that you had the brains, the courage, the heart to push forward all along.
---
It's funny how things change so easily as the year winds down. But, for what it's worth... was it worth all the while?
Hmm~
Happy AP/IB Season everybody!
---
"Toto"
As the near-perfect mirror reflections of real life that are television teen dramas would dictate, right about now is when I’d give a speech that reveals the key to ultimate success in life and I spew unto you sage-like advice from the almighty fountain of knowledge that is... my mouth; epiphany-status advice that is a culmination of my past four years here at John A. Rowland High School.
…
Pleh.
Oh, come on. I mean, really, I’m not even 18 yet. How much about all of life can I possibly know? How much about life can any of us really know? None of us have yet to “succeed” in life, nor can any of us really know what the “key to success” is. Or, more importantly, none of us have yet to “fail,” even if you feel you have.
We are in fact, for the lack of a less cliché term, at a crossroads in life. And whatever insecurities or hesitations that may be fermenting in the back of your mind right now, whether it be the fear that you’re lacking the brains, the courage, or even the heart to push forward, know that if there’s one thing you can be sure of in this stage of your life, it’s your friends.
But all the drama! Crushes, relationships, flings, “oh no he didn’t,” “oh no she didn’t,” “oh no they didn’t, girlfriend”
Trust me, the strongest friendships need some drama every now and then. And if anything, it’s after a one-year hiatus from one-another that you finally realize how much they meant to you.
The old adage goes: “carpe diem.” But it’s not about seizing the day, it’s about holding onto, and more importantly appreciating, what you already have.
Don’t be so quick to abandon your existing friendships just because of some silly fling. Because, as I was told, the biggest difference between college and high school is that in college, you don’t make friends, but rather friends with agendas.
He’ll be friends with him because he’s good at math, or he’ll be friends with her because she can hook him with up with some quality… school supplies. And you’ll find yourself just as easily doing the same. But what’s more is how easily those friendships will dissipate as soon as that agenda is met.
For the past four years, we’ve been making friends for the sake of making friends, and more often than not, it will be these agenda-less friendships that carry on.
Now, I’m not telling you to go and be as nice and chipper as you possibly can be to everyone you’ll ever meet. Don’t. Don’t try to go around pleasing all the people all the time. You’ll find that, in the end, it’ll just have been a big waste of time and effort.
Let’s face it, there will be people that you meet in life that’d you’d much rather just wish an infestation of angry sea lions upon.
But, and I quote, “understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few should you hold on.” And it’s the relationships with these precious few for whom you hold back the sea lions, that you must hold on to.
No matter how far apart from one another you may end up, holding on is a two-way street. Work hard to bridge these gaps, because you know as well as I do that what comes from the friendships with these precious few is nothing short of magic.
Because every so often, a wizard does, in fact, come along and tell you exactly what you needed to hear; and you’ll find that you had the brains, the courage, the heart to push forward all along.
---
It's funny how things change so easily as the year winds down. But, for what it's worth... was it worth all the while?
Hmm~
Happy AP/IB Season everybody!