毕业致辞 Valedictory

 
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Around this time of year, graduating students are bombarded with a variety of questions from friends and family members. These questions include, "Where are you going next year? What are you majoring in?", and my least favorite, "What are you going to be?". I don't mean to offend anyone who has asked this last question, and I admit that I, myself, have asked it on several occasions. I dislike this question because it makes me feel like I should decide right now on a specific career that will fit my interests and talents perfectly. Even as we graduate from Stagg, we are still only beginning our life's journeys. Although a few of us may be absolutely certain about what we want to "be", most of us will change our minds many times before we settle on a career, only to change our minds again when something better comes along. The ups and downs we will experience along the way will teach us more than any textbook or lecture ever could. Oscar Wilde must have known this, because he once said, "Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing worth knowing can be taught."

And here are the top ten things that no class ever taught us that I believe every Stagg graduate should know:
1. Pass/failing a class can be one of the best decisions you ever make.
2. You should carry a sweater with you at all times during the winter in case someone pulls the fire alarm.
3. Make the most of your time, because life can go by in a flash.
4. Southwest chicken soup is worth the long lines.
5. If you want to fix your grade, you have to ask for it yourself. You can't expect anyone to hold your hand.
6. If you're going to ask someone to a dance, do it creatively.
7. The best teachers sometimes have the toughest classes.
8. Games are worth going to, even if you're just there for the halftime show.
9. Don't give up hope, because you never know when you'll get 3 snow days after years of not having any.
10. Always thank the people who helped you get here, from your parents and teachers to the janitors and cafeteria ladies, because they have all made a difference in your lives.

We, the Class of 2008, are now ready to move forward from Stagg and continue learning lessons like these. The question is not "What will we be?" but rather, "How will we make the most of our lives?" The time has come for us to answer that question.

Thank you and congratulations Class of '08!