My Message to The Graduating Class of 2019
It is truly my pleasure
to be writing this virtual speech to all of you. Believe it or not, we are the
final batch that would have graduated College in the 2010s. Let that sink in
for a moment. We just wrapped up the hundreds of thousands of grads who marched
in this particular decade. Wala lang, just a fun fact for y'all (this isn't a
"formal speech, so pardon me if I use some slang terms.)
Indeed, a lot has
happened for every single graduate. One of which is heartbreak. Sigurado ako na
lahat sa inyo na nagbabasa nitong sulat ay may napagdaanan. I myself am no
stranger to this. Even though I've had no experience of being in a
relationship, I had my heart broken a couple of times. Reasons such as may nanliligaw
na sa kanya, ilang siya sa akin and bawal siya
magka-boypren have plagued me the past four years. I knew there were all
coming and indeed it hurts, but I've got some news for you. As much as Mom
and Dad tell you na it ain't worth it to cry over a girl, it's through these
tears that we become better. It's through the many times we've been rejected
wherein we find out more about ourselves, as well as what we must do in order
to improve and move on. Lastly, these failed attempts at romantic love make us
see the bigger pictures, that a.) it will happen, it's just a matter of who and
when, and b.) there's a lot to life than just falling in love (to the
conservative parents such as mine, sorry po if I'm kinda offending y'all). So
yes, everybody is scared to get hurt and make mistakes. However, those teachers
called "Mr. Real Life and Mrs. Reality" make it known to us that
we can't run away from our flaws and failures; heartaches and heartbreaks.
Heck, we're never perfect and only human to begin with, right? So go ahead,
take the risk. Keep taking in all the rejections, but never stop shooting your
shot. Basically, don't be a Ben Simmons (this applies to both genders
btw).
Now that I've tackled
the love angle of my speech, EVERY COLLEGE GRAD is faced with the "What am I gonna do with my life?"
question. Again, I am no stranger to this. The expectations for newly grads are the following: to move out of the house, start a new life, get a high paying job, and for us
Filipinos, provide for the family. There's a lot of truth to this. Our parents
aren't getting any younger, we're about to enter the prime years of our lives,
you name it. For some, this will be easy to pull this off. In fact, I've seen
and heard a lot of stories of college students already "Adulting" at
such an early age. For those who feel left out because they're still living in
their parents' house by the ages of 25-30 (*looks at future self*), there's no
need to be envious of your peers. My dad always told me that we each have our own
pace, and the challenge is not to keep up with society’s standards but to march
to our own parade. I myself have learned that by looking up at other people’s
lives seemingly on a pedestal, I fail to appreciate who I am and what I have. Indeed,
comparing ourselves with others may lead to measuring our value based on what
we do rather than on who we are. Sure, the "doing" adds to the
resume, but at the end of the day, your future bosses, mentors and colleagues
will focus on your attitude rather than your accolades. It is the EQ that
matters more than the IQ. So as far the issues of independence and uncertainty
with what to do, be patient, all these will be figured out in due time. Of
course, our parents won't live forever, but the fact we just graduated is an
indicator that we will be able to figure out our lives in due time, in good
time, and in His perfect time.
Before I end my outgoing
speech, let’s do our country (and the world) a favor by making it a better
place than when we were born into it. Of course, as human beings, we can only
do so much due to our limitations. But no matter how big or small our
contributions may be, they are enough to "Change the World". Changing
the world does not require us to be a martyr or to have some sort of Messianic
mentality wherein the responsibility lies solely on our shoulders. Of course,
this graduating class and all others before us are privileged to have this
diploma. However, rather than using it as a bragging right or a label to brand ourselves,
let us put these diplomas to good use in making the world a much better place.
Indeed, we must apply what we learned in the classroom. No, not the technical
sh*t you learned in calculus, or the many oral exams you had in Philo and Theo.
Rather, we must use the newfound knowledge and wisdom that was granted upon us
all to share these blessings with those who can only dream of being in our
situation right now. Jesus Christ already changed the world and the course of
humanity’s destiny two thousand years ago. Now it's our responsibility to help
make it better in our own little but special ways.
So once you go out there
and meet that new girl, new job and new calling, never ever forget to say “Thank You” to those who helped you get to
this moment. Your parents, who sacrificed so much just so you could wear this
toga. Your teachers, who, whilst they tormented you during hell weeks, gifted
you with their wisdom and lessons both in and out of the classroom. The
janitors, librarians, baristas, cafeteria peeps and security guards who never fail to
smile even though we may seem to sometimes ignore them. But most of all, be
grateful to those who have hurt you. Sure, it is easy to get pissed off with
that girl or barkada that treated you like cr*p, because you didn’t deserve to
be treated in a hurtful way. But these ‘learning experiences’ are the very
reason why you've been able to harness nerves of steel that are unbreakable.
Surely, the hardships, struggles and heartaches are the things for which we
should be most thankful because when sh*t hits the fan (and mind you sh*t will
happen again at some point in your lives), "what
doesn't kill us will only make us stronger". So don't be afraid to
make mistakes and take risks. As Fr. Jett Villarin SJ wisely counseled, "Ang matakot, 'di gagalaw"
(The ones who are afraid will be unable to move). Be thankful. Be happy. Keep moving. And never be afraid to choose to
love. So now it's time to leave behind all the bad sh*t, because it's time
to celebrate yo. Congrats, Class of 2019. #DelroOut
Everyone deserves a standing ovation because we all overcometh the world. – Auggie August Pullman, Wonder
For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11
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