Valedictory Address
Valedictory Address
Alex Micek
June 8th, 2003
Friends, relatives, distinguished guests, and the class of 2003:
We are gathered here today to honor the passing on of a time in our lives called “high school.” This ceremony marks its final passing from our lives. Now, we all have had vastly different experiences in high school, but one thing we have all been exposed to is CliffsNotes. Yeeup, CliffsNotes, those handy reader guides that summarize the characters, plot, symbolism, and important details of a book or play. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to a guide that you haven’t heard of: the CliffsNotes guide to high school. Please remember, that all CliffsNotes take time to say “Opinions expressed in these Notes aren’t rigid dogma meant to discourage intellectual exploration” and the same is true here; take what you want. This is a summary of high school on its own terms.
Let’s open up and begin at page seven, a quick synopsis of the story. Sophomore year. Students find themselves adjusting to waking up earlier, running to classes, struggling at pep fests, and testing the limits of their underclassmanship. Chaos ensues as everyone gets their license. Most come through the ordeal uninjured and everybody has an agreeable time. Junior year. A year of firsts. First time at prom, first college acceptance, first car accident. Most everyone decides senior year will be like this only more fun. Final year. Everyone looks forward to their future for the entire Senior year until they realize the year is gone. Nobody really knows where the time went. Sentimentality and reminiscing abounds. Final chapter: most everyone graduates and they are then unleashed on the unsuspecting world. So this summary sounds simple doesn’t it? Well, a quick synopsis never did anything justice, so lets look at some other aspects of our high school experience.
Page nine, characters. Our class is full of so many amazing, fine, and talented individuals that there are too many characters to list here. I’m loathe to put names to any character types because we all know so many different astounding individuals. Nevertheless, I know you’ll have somebody in mind when I mention the comedian, the artist, the singer, the actor, the athlete, and the undervalued kid who’s nice to everyone. Take a moment or two to think of who these characters are and how they have affected your time in high school. Although characters appear different to everyone, I believe we all have helped one another make it through. Personally, you have all helped me grow more than I would have thought possible. Therefore, during our three years here, characters in this story have complemented and enhanced each other.
Page 62, similes. High school is like a box of chocolates: an eclectic collection of diverse candy, each with its own merits, crowded into a dark rectangular box. When the box gets opened to the real world, someone gets eaten! Maybe that’s not the best simile. This one might be better: high school is like a marathon, its long, sometimes you want to throw up, you don’t get much sleep, but you learn about yourself and come out stronger in the end. Then there is always this simile: High school fits like your favorite shirt, its comfy, it has a couple of holes, and you like it a lot, but there is a time when you need to throw out your old shirt and get a new wardrobe for a new time in your life. In the end, high school is a lot like a library - you only learn things if you seek them out and put energy into them. Both high school and life are how you imagine them - you create them yourself.
Page 64, symbolism. There is no symbolism in high school.
Page 65 of the CliffsNotes of high school includes lessons learned that can be used for the rest of our lives. Lesson one: Be an optimist: there are too many pessimists, too many naysayers, too many bitter, disgruntled, unhappy people. Nothing makes things work like a positive outlook. Lesson two: hindsight is 20-20; learn from it. Lesson three: Be nice to your future roommate; angry people in close quarters are dangerous. Lesson four: don’t use obscene gestures while you are driving, you look stupid. Lesson five: eat. As Bill Cosby said “I like fat, I like butter, I like salt, I like ice cream, I like cake.” In addition to a resounding “eat”, he was telling us to embrace life, to enjoy ourselves, and to sometimes throw caution to the wind. High school lesson six: reach out to people around you. Remember that awkward situation where you were walking down the hall at Woodbury and there was someone far off and you thought “Oh no, we’re gonna have to stare at each other forever as we get closer and closer.” And you walked along thinking “they’re getting closer”. And you looked away, and then looked at them again, looked away acting as if you didn’t see them - it was no good. In high school, we learned that its best to just yell to that person “Hey, looks like we’re in the same hall, nice to see you around.” And suddenly, the ice is broken and the awkwardness evaporates. We learned to reach out. Lesson seven: value the simple things. Savor every sunrise and sunset. Find your favorite flavor of toothpaste and stick with it. Realize that if you don’t value the simple things, you won’t be able to value anything. Final lesson: love one another. It isn’t idealistic or ridiculous, its pragmatic, its necessary to succeed in life. That is the most important lesson.
Here the CliffsNotes end. Why? Because this book, the book of high school, is over. The notes about it are dog-eared, careworn, written all over, and bulging with our own experiences. They have served their purpose. There is no final test on high school except life. Many people would say [flatly] “This isn’t the end it’s a new beginning” but that sounds so rehearsed, so cliche. It is true, but there is a better way to say it: we had some great times, made some wonderful memories, and its time to leave our old stomping grounds and expand our sphere to something more wordly. Winston Churchill had the most wonderful commencement address I have ever heard of. He got up to the podium and said “Never, ever, ever, give up.” And that is all he said. It is a wonderfully simple but challenging message, encouraging all those listening to just keep at it. I wish I had thought of it. Regardless, I would like to leave you all with a different quote with a similar message. It tells us all that deciding to do something is the toughest part, that once you decide on something, things start to inexplicably go your way. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said, “…the moment one definitely commits oneself then providence moves, too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents … and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would come his way. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.” Class of 2003, be bold and live your lives with purpose as you go out into the world. Don’t forget your CliffsNotes. Remember all that high school has taught you. It has been a privilege, an honor, and simply wonderful experience to grow with you all. Thank you.