This past weekend, I became a college graduate.
Isn't that an incredible thing to say?
I've wanted to go to university since I first knew what it was as a little child a decade and a half ago. I have been building it up my graduation day as one of the most important events of my life, and it came and went in a flash. Thinking back, it feels almost like a dream.
It was everything I could have hoped for.
The commencement speakers were outstanding. Seeing families cheer for their graduates as they walked across that stage filled my heart. Seeing my own family beaming at me from the audience filled me to the brim with love and joy, and it was all I could do to keep from spilling over. I have rarely felt so proud of myself and my accomplishments. It was finally my day to say, "I did it. I made it. I'm here."
Among other honors, it was my incredible privilege to address my fellow graduates as the undergraduate speaker for the College of the Pacific-- the school of arts and sciences at our university. Although standing up and speaking in front of literally thousands of people was nerve-wracking, it was also exhilarating. I have never felt anything quite like having so many eyes on me, and only hoping that I could live up to their expectations to inspire, encourage, and celebrate my friends and peers.
What follows is the transcript of my speech. If you were not present at graduation, or if you just want to take a second look, I hope that my words can alleviate a little of the fear that comes with starting a new phase in life, and I hope that perhaps I can inspire you in the way that my fellow Pacificans have inspired me.
There is no fear quite so distinct as that of the unknown. The unfamiliar offers us no way to ground ourselves, no way of adequately preparing. This is the kind of fear I experienced as a college freshman. I didn’t know where I was going to fit in, or how I should even go about finding my place. I was good at getting lost and I didn’t really get how meal plan worked. I was very familiar with where I had been, and suddenly I was facing a future where I really wasn’t sure where I was going. And that’s terrifying.
Is this ringing any bells?
It’s a story that we all share in one way or another— this uncertainty. This ceremony is a testament to your academic achievement, the fact that you have conquered sleepless nights, figured out how your meal plan works, and faced up to your fears. But in addition to the education that we’ve received here, we have also learned how to be us. It took time, but eventually we found our place. And during that journey, we gradually discovered ways to shave away the fear.
Think about the things that you have collected over your years at Pacific. A stack of old parking permits. Selfies, both flattering and unflattering. Friends who have become your family. Think about the things that you will be able to carry away from here.
Your head is full of knowledge, maybe even more than you know what to do with yet. If you are feeling unsure of yourself, let your knowledge wash away your fear. You are here because you are smart, and you are capable, and you are ready for what comes next.
Your future is full of passion. Whatever that passion may be, let it drive you. Let it lead you into what comes next, and let it inspire you to accomplish great things. Publish. Apply. Inquire. Think of actions that may have scared you in the past and know that you have all the tools you need to do them now.
Your heart is full of love. Love for the people sitting all around you, people who have embraced you and fought for you and pushed you to be better than even you thought you could be.. Love for this place. At our freshman convocation, we were asked to stand up if we considered Pacific to be our home. I was surprised to see people all around me rise. I did not. I had only been at Pacific for three days. I liked Pacific, but it wasn’t my home yet. Today, years after that moment, we are all on ground that has become our home. It is a place that we will all be able to look back on as the start of something incredible for us.
Knowledge trumps fear. Passion trumps fear. Love trumps fear. And so you are ready.
Today’s ceremony marks an end, but it also marks the beginning of something brand new. And once again, that’s scary. But if there’s anything that college has taught us, let it be this— we don’t need to be afraid. We have made it this far, no matter how impossible it may have seemed at times. We know now that with hard work, dedication, and the right support, there’s no need to fear what comes next. We ARE what’s next, and we’ve got this.
Congratulations, class of 2017. Let's get out there and take the world by storm.
