Graduation!!!

Its only taken 5 years but I have finally graduate from undergrad with my B.S. in Psychology. If the next 5 years are anything like the first they will fly by before I know it. Over the past week I have listened as countless speakers have tried to summarize the last five years of our lives. Here would have been my speech (were I asked to give one):

I remember quite vividly my first day of college. The anticipation masked by complete dread that I my acceptance had been a mistake and I would soon be called out as unworthy to attend college. Five years later as I stand on the other end of this educational journey I realize that what I had really worried about was the unknown. The worry that somehow I would fail, falter or stumble in my quest to achieve the education my mother struggled so hard to get for me.

As I embark on yet another stage of my life I realize that fear of the unknown will continue to be ever present in my life. The world that was promised us following graduation has greatly changed since we signed our acceptance letters and donned our freshmen t-shirts. Economic and global crisis continue to bombard us from all sides, but I urge you all to embrace this time. The unknown can be just as thrilling as it is scary. You have worked hard to be where you are today and you should be proud.

Before I end let me offer a few bits of wisdom from my limited but ever growing knowledge:

Continue to dream - it will only serve to help you in the future. You may not achieve those dreams, but dreaming is what makes us human. Laugh - realize that life will be a struggle. It wont be easy, no one said it would be. But laughing amongst some good friends (and perhaps some good food) can make the burdens of life a lot lighter. Reach - continue to strive for those goals, even those that seem completely unattainable. The life you live is your own do not forget that.

You will probably forget most of this by the time you exit this place, but I am sure you wont forget the good times we all have shared over the past five years. Those are the memories that last... Congratulations class of 2009, and thank you for the memories