how to write good graduation speech

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How to write a graduation speech .

Writing a graduation speech can be daunting. It’s natural to want to give the best speech possible to commemorate such an important milestone in your life. But How to write a graduation speech that is worthy of the day?

This page will be a comprehensive step-by-step guide for how to write a graduation speech that inspires and motivates. It will walk you through everything you need to know, how to write a graduation speech that leaves your audience teary-eyed. 

At the end of this page, I have written a sample graduation speech using this guide. 

I have spent days asking how to write the perfect graduation speech. I remember the banging of my head on my desk in frustration when I was preparing for my graduation speech. The reason for this paranoia was that I too, just like everyone else, wanted to give the best speech possible to commemorate such an important milestone of my life. 

The amount of time and energy I had spent in preparation for my graduation speech prompted me to put up this page. 

So here it is:

LET’S UNPACK with the No. 1 problem in How to write a graduation speech? 

The number 1 problem which everyone faces when setting out to write a graduation speech is where to start?

Well naturally before you start preparing your speech you will need to know what you want to talk about. You can call this a theme, a topic, an idea, or the subject of your speech. At this stage, it can be a one-liner or even a word that describes what you want to talk about. 

Again I know it is easier said than done. That’s why I have listed some approaches to help you figure out the topic of your graduation speech.

There are different approaches you can go by, but I will write a few which helped me.

How to find the subject of your graduation speech?

How to write a graduation speech around your core beliefs..

The first place I will recommend you to look for inspiration is your core beliefs. If you very strongly believe in something then talk about it. This could be what you stand for. Or what you will always stand for? Or what do you advocate? Maybe these beliefs are human rights protection, prevention of female objectification, and child labor, or maybe you believe in socialism or the importance of family structure.

The idea behind talking about your core beliefs is that you are genuinely passionate about them, and you will most likely have enough to talk about them. 

How to write a graduation speech based on Timeline.

I like to call this a timeline-based approach in deciding what to talk about during your graduation speech. Evident by the name you will pick up a moment or time and will talk about that time and how great or challenging that period was in your life. 

You can pick a period from your past to describe a challenge or a beauty of it and how it impacted your life and what lesson it has for others as well. 

You can pick a goal in the future which you want to accomplish and what motivates you in selecting this goal and how it will impact your life or people at large. 

To help you better understand, I have listed some examples. These examples sound generic but the actual events which happened to you will be unique for your audience. 

For the past based graduation speech, some ideas are: 

• A problem you faced to get to this position

• You had a certain difficulty, but you didn’t give up

• You faced trauma but still, you graduated or accomplished a goal.  

• What drove you, who motivated you, who built your passion, who never lost hope in you, who built your character and gave you confidence?

• What was your journey to get to this point?

• What took you to get here? 

• What were your expectations?

Remember: The purpose is not to tell your biography or how great you are. The purpose is to inspire with the underlying qualities which kept you going.

If you don’t want your speech to be sentimental you can always talk about:

• How fun your experience was

• How you will miss partying 

• How greatly have you lived your life here

• How amazing your friends, teachers, and institute were.

• How helpful everyone’s contribution was in your graduation. 

• You can go with funny events or can make very light fun at the expense of the audience. (Never insult.) 

• How has this time here changed you into a better person?

• How do you overcome your shortfalls

These are some past-based graduation theme approaches. Similarly, you can decide to talk about the future:

• Your goals

• Your optimism and how you plan to change the world.

• You always dream to follow your passion, and now you are one step closer

• You have an ideal personality who inspired you; now you can follow the lead.

• How you will miss this time, place, and people. 

• How you have learned to dream big and now explore

• No one is perfect, how you make mistakes, you will keep making mistakes, but this place taught you how to learn lessons from mistakes. 

• You look forward to stepping into the world.

• How guest of honor is your ideal and why do you appreciate them and want to follow the lead?

These are some of the examples I call a time-based approach in deciding how to write your graduation speech. 

Note: you don’t have to pick only one. You can relate a past event to achieve a future goal. 

How to write a graduation speech based on characteristics of value.

This one is simple really. When I was deciding how to write my graduation speech I came across this approach. In this approach of deciding your graduation speech theme, you can pick a characteristic and talk about it. In this case, you pick a characteristic value, and you start building your thoughts around it. 

• Value of Truth

• Importance of love

• Need of Courage

• Humbleness in sacrifice

• Lessons in failures

• Struggle for passion 

• Never giving up

How to write a graduation speech on the beauty of your passion. 

Here you find anything you are good at. It doesn’t have to be some sophisticated idea or any well-praised concept. It can be anything you are good at. 

It could be: 

• Any creative idea

• Participation in social causes

• Spirituality

• Gardening

Maybe you are passionate about gaming, or you have an interest in building stuff, or you like to experiment, or you have a sense of empathy and want to participate in social causes, or you have a knack for health and well-being. 

The point is it could be anything you like to do, which gives you happiness or a sense of fulfillment. You have to find out the good sides of this passion and talk about it. Link your source of happiness to real-world scenarios.

I mean there is a legendary speech about making a bed every day and how this one task is so great. 

How to write a graduation speech on delivering a point or argument.

The last approach I would recommend is delivering a point approach. Here you decide an end goal of your speech first then you build your argument around that goal. You have seen something wrong, or you would like some practice to change. Or in your view, a certain thing is not value-added but time-consuming or a method is not creative but laborious, and you would like it to change. 

You get the idea of what I am talking about. You may want to talk about human rights, and freedom of speech, you want to sound an alarm and talk about the environment, or you want to talk about any other modern-day problem. 

Here you have a point which you want to make. You will build your speech around that point. For example, you believe that home assignments are a waste of time. 

These are some approaches you can use to decide what you want to talk about. You can be creative and mix them or stick to one area. 

Now that you have your main idea, let’s start planning your graduation speech.

The planning stage of how to write a graduation speech.

Before you start writing your graduation speech there are some factors you need to know and understand when you are planning to write your graduation speech. We will figure those out during the planning process of the graduation speech together. 

Time and place

What time is your speech.

The first thing you need to know is which day, and where you will be delivering your speech. Usually the place of your graduation ceremony. It may be on campus grounds or in any other venue. 

But you need to know the time in a different context as well. 

Here you formally need to know at least three times for your graduation speech. Write that down for your reference. 

• First: Obviously what time is the speech?

• Second: how much time is allotted to your speech?

• Third: how much time do you have until your speech? 

How much time is allotted to you? 

You need to know how much time is allotted to your speech. You need to know that to prepare your speech. You need to know to create enough material to cover that time slot. Not too short, not too long.

My rule of thumb is at the planning stage when you are writing a rough draft for your speech your draft should have enough material to cover at least double the allotted time. You will need to consult with the organizers or graduation committee about how much time is allocated to you?  

How long should a graduation speech be?

Ideally, a graduation speech should be between 5 and 7 minutes long. That’s just enough time to deliver some inspiring words without dragging on (or putting your audience to sleep!).

Of course, each situation is different. If you’re the valedictorian or salutatorian, you may have a little more time to speak. And if you’re speaking at a smaller graduation ceremony, your speech may be shorter.

No matter how long your speech is, make sure you spend some time thinking about what you want to say. A well-written and well-delivered speech can be a memorable way to end your time as a student and start your new chapter as a graduate!

How much time do you have to prepare for your graduation speech?

The third and most important one is to know how much time you have for planning. You know this by allocating your time to your daily most important tasks. 

Know the Audience

This is tricky and an important factor to know before you write your graduation speech. Audiences come in all shapes and sizes. Know your audience before you start talking so that they feel welcome at the ceremony. You need to know who you will be addressing during your graduation speech. 

The common attendees are:

• Graduates

• Top students

• Faculty 

• And special guests

But keep in mind that among the audience all these people can also be 

• Media Personalities

• Influencers

• Potential employers

• Govt. officials

• Ethnic or minority groups

Beware of those who are attending, You don’t want to sound insensitive or hurt someone or a group of people’s feelings. For example, with a religious audience, you don’t want to talk against religion. Or might want to omit any jokes about physical features, or people with disability conditions if you have the same people in your audience. 

The second important thing to know about your audience is that you do not want to be specific to a small group of people. People of all ages and beliefs can be there, so avoid making specific cultural references to target only a small group of people. Instead, talk in broad general terms. 

There could be potential employers among the audience. You don’t want to sound cocky or to be remembered as arrogant. I mean it is entirely possible that a month later you are attending an interview and find out that the interviewer knows you already from your graduation speech with a bad impression. 

Tone when delivering your graduation speech.

This is important to know and decide. What will be your tone of speech? Do you want to sound formal or informal? Passive or assertive? Passionate or optimistic? Humorous or serious or do you want to keep it conservative or motivating? 

This might sound overwhelming but it is not. A lot of this has to do with the theme of the speech.  What I suggest is to choose according to your personality. Do you like to convey your message through humor or are you an optimistic person? But whatever you choose please keep it consistent. 

Having said that When practicing your graduation speech, it is a good suggestion to keep the tone upbeat. This is a time to celebrate the accomplishments of the graduates, so the speech should be motivating and inspirational. 

However, it is also important to be respectful and sincere. The graduation speech is an opportunity to thank the teachers, staff, and administrators who have helped the graduates along the way. It is also a chance to offer some advice and words of wisdom to the graduating class or future graduates. Whatever tone is used, it should be genuine and reflect the speaker’s excitement for the future of the graduates.

Avoid Cliches during your graduation speech

The Next thing in your planning stage is to avoid cliche. Everything has a place and time. Not everything should be said at all sittings. You might want to go political, or you might want to go activist. Even Though nothing is wrong with it, you don’t want your whole speech blaming others. 

In my opinion, if you can avoid it please do avoid it. The reason is not to discourage you from speaking up regarding social issues, but the reason is you just “graduated”. You have a diverse, more senior audience in front of you. Do, if you have to, refer to a certain issue or show your commitment towards it. But please do not give a lecture to your audience and make them feel responsible. You just freshly graduated and most likely you have not done anything substantial to change the problem you are talking about. 

Some other cliches are:

1. “This is the best day of my life!”

While it’s certainly an exciting time, your graduation isn’t necessarily the best day of your life. There are many other great days ahead, so try to avoid this clichéd line.

2. “Follow your dreams!”

This is another well-meaning but overused piece of advice. While it’s important to have dreams and goals, be realistic about what you can achieve.

3. “You’re the future!”

This may be true, but it’s also a bit daunting. Instead of putting pressure on yourself, try to focus on enjoying the present moment.

4. “It’s not goodbye, see you later!”

This may be the case for some people, but others are moving on to new chapters in their lives. Don’t try to force a sentimental moment if it doesn’t feel genuine.

5. “You’re going to change the world!”

This is a lot of pressure to put on someone. Instead, encourage your fellow graduates to focus on making a positive impact in their communities.

By avoiding these clichés, you can make your graduation speech more unique and personal. Instead of giving empty platitudes, focus on sharing your own experiences and lessons learned. This will make your speech more meaningful and memorable for both you and your audience. 

Distribution of your graduation speech

One thing which you need to consider is that your speech will be part of the record. It might be printed in a college journal, yearbook, or newspaper and will most definitely be recorded. It will be part of the internet or your collection. It is such a prestigious opportunity that you would want these words to be simple but memorable. You don’t want to waste this opportunity just for being funny or by roasting your friends or school. 

Be very careful if you are using facts and quotes in your graduation speech.

Make sure that you know your facts and stats if you are using them in your speech. Make sure you know the authenticity and origin of quotes if you are using them. Make sure you attribute the quotes and facts to the right person or institute.  

Start your graduation speech With a hook statement.

You only have a few minutes to make an impression, so you’ll want to start strong! Grab your audience’s attention with a compelling story, quote, or statistic related to the topic of your speech. Idea is to use bait to hook your audience with you throughout your speech. They would want to know how your story will relate to what you are saying. 

P.S – Hook statements are super fun, super engaging and can really turn the mood of the audience. This is a quality everyone should know regardless of this particular context of graduation speech. This article of American express explains it beautifully with examples.

A video example of using a hook statement.

An excellent example of this is this speech. 2015 World Champion: ‘The Power of Words’ Mohammed Qahtani, Toastmasters International

Note how the speaker’s first words and actions hooked the audience before he said a single word.

Write your graduation speech as You Talk

One of the biggest mistakes people make when writing speeches is trying to sound overly formal or ‘preachy’. Remember, this is YOUR graduation speech—it should reflect YOUR unique voice and perspective. It should bring out your persona.

Use Personal anecdotes in your graduation speech.

A great way to connect with your audience is by sharing personal stories or anecdotes that illustrate the main point of your speech. For example, if you’re giving a speech about resilience, you could share a story about a time when you faced adversity and how you ultimately overcame it. Just be sure not to make your stories too long—remember, you want to keep things concise! 

A video example of using personal anecdotes.

Watch this video for a brilliant speech and notice how the speaker used little personal experiences to draw conclusions and delivered his speech brilliantly.

End your graduation speech on a High Note 

Just like you want to start strong, you’ll also want to end strong! Leave your audience with something memorable—a call-to-action, inspirational quote, or final thought that sums up the main point of your speech perfectly. 

Edit, Edit, Edit!  

Once you have a draft of your speech written out, take some time to edit it for grammar errors and clarity issues. Then, ask a friend or family member to read it aloud, so you can get feedback on how it flows and sounds before delivering it on graduation day! 

Alternate the source of information

The fact is you are not the first person to give the graduation speech and most likely will not be the last person ever. Hundreds before you have been to the place where you are now. They had to prepare for their graduation speech and where did they go for inspiration or to get the idea? 

The same place where you are, The Internet. 

The point is most of the things which are on the internet have been said and done. Most of the stories have been told, and most of the quotes have been said. So what should you do? 

Change the source. 

Get your inspiration from another source. From a real event, an incident, a book you like, a poem you used to sing, or a song stuck in your head. Anything which no one has thought about. 

One of the great sources of inspiration for me is my older relatives, Grandparents, or uncle. Take a break, sit with them, and listen to their stories. They have lived years of more life than you. You can simply let them talk about their golden days or ask them specifically about an idea.  

The good news is that there are plenty of places to look for inspiration when it comes to writing a graduation speech. Here are just a few of them:

Your life up to this point: 

One of the best places to start when it comes to writing a graduation speech is by looking back at your life up to this point. What have been some of the biggest highlights? What lessons have you learned along the way?

Your future goals: 

Another great source of inspiration for your graduation speech is to look ahead at your future goals. What do you hope to accomplish in the next phase of your life? How can you inspire others to pursue their dreams?

Your favorite quotes: 

Another great way to get inspiration for your graduation speech is to look at some of your favorite quotes. Whether it’s a motivational saying or something more lighthearted, a great quote can often capture the essence of what you want to say in your speech.

Your favorite books: 

If you’re a reader, then one of the best places to look for inspiration for your graduation speech is in your favorite books. What messages do they convey that you feel are significant for your fellow graduates to hear?

Your favorite movies: 

Like books, movies can also be a great source of inspiration for your graduation speech. What scenes or dialogue from your favorite films can you use, to illustrate the points you want to make in your speech?

These are just a few of the many places you can turn to when you’re looking for inspiration. 

So here we are. We have our main theme. We have the necessary attributes for our speech. It is time to brainstorm and put words on paper. 

The way I recommend is that I divide the speech into a set formatted structure. 

Structure of Graduation speech

Just like any speech, I divide the speech into three main parts. 

1. Introduction

·         Acknowledgement

·         Hook statement

·         Transition

·         Main Point/ Passion statement/ Struggle/ achievement/ Goal/ Issues of Society etc. (depending on your topic)

·         Supportive argument/ Outcome/ process of achievement/ Benefits/ suggestions etc. 

·         Supportive argument/ your future goal based on main point/ plea for change etc. 

3. Conclusion

·         Reaffirmation/ wrap up your speech around the main point. 

·         Thanks and best wishes

Let’s write an actual graduation speech using this guide

As I mentioned at the start of this page when writing a graduation speech our number 1 problem will be what to talk about. What will be our central idea or theme of speech? 

To find a suitable theme for the speech let’s brainstorm for some inspiration. We will have to introspect : 

Let’s see, some of the Ideas I believe in are as follows. 

These are just some ideas. You can add as many boxes at the bottom and list all the brainstormed ideas. Now we have a list of ideas that we can go through with our friends, family, and peers. A Great way for some thoughts on your ideas is to discuss them with your parents. Remember this is not just your big day, it is a very proud day for your parents as well. 

The key is to choose the topic in which you are comfortable speaking, and you have enough to speak about it. 

As I’m a big fan of the Harry Potter books, let’s see if we can find some inspiration from the story of Harry Potter. The tale of Harry Potter is an instant classic. There can be so many points to talk about. This is a story of friendship, sacrifice, courage, redemption, hope, and good vs evil. I always believe in the one quote from the books. That is “love is the greatest magic”. 

This is a good topic. It is not controversial, it’s not political and love truly is one of the key attributes to living a happy life. 

Ok, Now we have a quote from our favorite book. Let’s turn that into a moving speech for our audience. My introduction will be something like this: 

“Good evening/morning, Distinguished guests, faculty members, staff, families, friends, and fellow graduates. Today we stand here in our fancy gowns and caps to celebrate one of the precious chapters of our lives. It is barely over, and it is already becoming nostalgic but that’s the talk of later times.

Today I am here to tell you a very peculiar thing I have come to learn in recent years. I know you won’t believe it when I tell you, that in the past few years, I have met some magicians and have seen some real magic. I am saying this in every non-fictional sense.  As for the past few years, We all have walked through the halls of this institute growing together, making memories but always under the protection of magic, rarely knowing about it. 

Ladies and gentlemen, I am talking about “love”. As another headmaster Albus Dumbledore, somewhere else in another universe puts it, that love is the greatest magic of all. As we are one foot into the next chapter of our lives, I want to talk about the most powerful magic and how it shaped us.

Alright, this is our introduction paragraph. As you can see it has three distinct parts colored differently. There is a clear acknowledgment/ introduction, followed by a very important Hook statement, and then followed by a transition line into the body of the speech. 

Let’s work on the body of the graduation speech. 

Ladies and gentlemen, As I look back, I cannot help but agree that often taken for granted and almost always overlooked, this simple yet most magical emotion was always there. It was there when our families supported us, our friends encouraged us, or even when our mentors disciplined us. All of these great magicians capable of loving us in our lows, have provided us with a strong foundation to build on. 

And that is just not it, Love was also there in us for our passion, love shaped our activities and the subjects we chose which in turn sparked our curiosity and allows us to grow our talents. 

To be truthful I have been thinking a lot in recent weeks, and I concluded that love is not just a feeling, I mean it has to be a forceful action. The willingness I have seen in my parents to sacrifice their comforts for me was not just a feeling, they did act on it. The steadfast support of my friends in every hour of need was more than just a boastful announcement, they actually stood with me. The promise of my mentors to go above and beyond to help me was not just a promise, they actually put extra effort to share their wisdom with me. How can it be just a feeling when all these wonderful people went beyond and actually acted and actually helped me to be here where I am? 

As we look ahead to the future, we can be confident that love will continue to guide us and will always help us to go through new opportunities and challenges. And I am 100% sure that we not only need the support of love to succeed in real life, but we also need love to get to the best version of ourselves. 

In all of our life up until now, we have been at the receiving end of this magical spell. Having said that it is also paramount that we learn to cast this spell now. Let’s be there for our family and friends as they were. Let’s just not sit back and hope that things will work out. Let’s take action to make sure that things do work out. Let’s promise to go out of our way to support and care for them, even when it’s difficult or inconvenient. Let’s listen to them when they need to be heard and offer a shoulder when they need it. 

Let’s cultivate a sense of love for ourselves as we strive to navigate through life and let’s extend the love to the precious people around us as we attempt to build a world that is more just, compassionate and beautiful. This is my resolution in life.  

In conclusion, today is a day to celebrate the power of love, and a day to express our gratitude to the beautiful magicians around us. We have accomplished a great deal, but we could not have done it alone. It is the love of those around us that have supported and sustained us through this journey. We are truly indebted to our teachers, this prestigious institute, our parents and family, and our friends. Thank you for your unconditional Love. As we move forward, let us hold onto the truth that love is the greatest magic of all. Let us be guided by the power of love, as we seek to make a positive impact on the world and to live lives that are full of purpose and meaning. 

Congratulations to every one of you on this incredible accomplishment, and may the magic of love continue to light our way into the future. Thank you

It is finally finished. 

P. S: I cannot show the whole work which I did to write this speech. Just so you know, a lot of editing and back-and-forth re-writing went into it just in case you are struggling to write it and want to give up. Don’t worry this is part of the process. 

Conclusion:  

Writing a graduation speech may seem daunting at first, but following these simple steps will help ensure that yours is one that will be remembered long after the tassels have been turned! And remember: this is YOUR story—so don’t be afraid to let YOUR unique voice shine through!

Read Also: How to fast track your bachelor’s degree.

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How to Write a Graduation Speech: Quotations, Outline and Tips

It is a great honor and responsibility to deliver an end of the year speech at a graduation ceremony. That is why you are most likely to go deep into searching for inspiring speech ideas. Naturally, a person who is chosen to speak in front of their peers, parents, and teachers would experience a mixture of feelings – excitement, thrill, agitation, doubt, anxiety, pride – you name it, it’s all there in a young graduate.

Any student hopes to create a powerful and lasting graduation speech wow effect on the audience. For this reason, you will browse through multiple how to speech ideas to simplify the writing process. No matter what you find online, you will still have to make it personal.

Since you will discover many sample motivational speeches and funny graduation speech ideas in your pursuit of perfection, you should make sure to keep the balance between jokes and serious stuff. Sad speeches are also not very popular on graduation day, so try not overwhelming your audience with heavy thoughts.

To brighten up your speech, it is always a good idea to use various sayings such as the end of school quotes, highschool quotes, and graduation quotes from parents. You will find some nice examples further in the article.

Despite the vast number of recipes for a perfect speech, many graduates keep making the same mistakes. To avoid stepping in the same shoes, read on and learn how to write a good motivational graduation speech.

Graduation Speech Outline

A clear and comprehensive outline is a guarantee of success. Having created an efficient point-by-point plan, you will be able to structure your graduation speech clearly and include all necessary ideas. As Heinrich Heine once said: “True eloquence consists in saying all that is necessary, and nothing but what is necessary.”

Like any other piece of writing, a speech should be well thought-out and neatly organized. Since only a thorough preparation brings fruitful results, you will have to create a list of things you want to discuss. The more detailed your outline is, the easier it will be to craft an eloquently impassioned speech.

To ensure you have enough time to proofread your draft and make necessary corrections, it is better not to extend the process of creating an outline. How long before your speech performance should you finish drafting your speech outline? The sooner the better, but not less than two days before the event.

How to Start a Graduation Speech

So how to start off a speech? A good speech should begin with an enticing opening. A catchy introduction captures the attention of the audience and puts everybody in the right mood.

A brilliant speaker should be familiar with the following good ways to start a speech:

• Hook: A sentence or question that immediately connects your listener to you on the emotional level.
• Thesis: One to three sentences stating your intention. It can either be sharing your life story or someone else’s experience that offers a valuable lesson.
• Role model: Introduce the person you look up to and briefly explain why he or she inspires you.
• Theme: Announce the topic of your speech and mention how you connect to it personally. If you choose to talk about a few topics (like confidence, failure, and endurance), name all of them at the beginning.

Whichever option you choose, it is crucial to make your introduction brief and to the point. It will show the listeners your intention to keep the speech short and informative. The audience will appreciate it and lend an attentive ear to your message more willingly.

How to End a Speech

The way your speech ends defines how the audience will remember it. Since we tend to cherish most memorable and important things, the conclusive statement should be strong and impressive. To compose such conclusion, you can try the following methods:

• Leave an inspirational message for student audience
• Make an encouraging call to keep the spirits high
• Use an appealing slogan or catch phrase to end on a positive note
• Include one or two funny graduation messages to lighten the mood after serious conclusions

How to Make a Speech Longer

If a question “how long is my speech?” popped into your head, it means the moment has come to time yourself. In case your speech came out shorter than expected, you can make it longer while keeping it relevant in one of these ways:

• Check whether the speech has an introduction and conclusion. A traditional speech formatting requires a speaker to structure their speech so that it consists of an introduction, body, and conclusion. So you can add a few sentences to either an opening or closing part of your message to strengthen your argument.
• Add an anecdote or story from personal experience to relate to the subject. Even if you have already included a personal example, don’t be shy sharing a few to make a point. The crucial thing here is to ensure the stories you choose to tell are relevant to your main argument.
• Use motivational quotes. You can cite one quote and then repeat it at the end of your speech highlighting its relevance and topicality. Before you settle down on a quote to use, make sure to check its origin in multiple sources.
• Remind your classmates of the good times you had at school. Warm memories evoke pleasant feelings, and this is what graduates need to have on their graduation day – tons of positive emotions. Remember not to embarrass teachers and parents present
• Use graduation slogans. Dream it, believe it, become it. To infinity and beyond. Party hard, Rock and Roll, we’re the class you can’t control!

You can search the web for more examples of popular catch phrases, mottos, slogans, etc., but you can also come up with your own!

8th Grade Graduation Speech

Middle school graduation speeches signify one’s transition to the top level – high school. It is a significant and thrilling moment for a student. To write a fine speech, you don’t have to drag yourself through multiple sample graduation speeches. Just take a moment and think of those three years spent in middle school.

Here is a brief outline for an 8th grade graduation speech to get you going:

• Introduce yourself.
• Share your first memories and impressions at the school.
• Reflect on your experience and tell what you enjoyed about it.
• Talk about your teachers and other students.
• Discuss your prospects for the future.
• Thank your parents, teachers, classmates, administration, and staff for making your middle-school years worthwhile.
• Conclude with one of the best middle school graduation quotes you can find or coin one yourself.

Check out an amazing Jack Aiello’s graduation speech to find some inspiration.

High School Graduation Speech

The second important speech you will either listen to or deliver is usually scheduled for high school graduation. Finishing high school is one of the first greatest achievements of a young person. That is why high school graduation speech ideas revolve around personal accomplishments, funny stories, bright memories, and hopes for successful future.

Even though the end of studying is a happy event, some speakers chose to give rather sad high school graduation speeches. Surely, there are many things to miss about school, but the graduation ceremony should give more positive and aspiring feelings.

In their senior night speeches, high school graduates need to focus on reminding their peers about:

• their achievements at school to boost students’ self-esteem and create a positive image of themselves
• future possibilities to encourage taking a suitable career path and continue grow both personally and professionally

Here are the quotes you can use in your graduation speech:

End of School Quotes

• “If a man neglects education, he walks lame to the end of his life.” – Plato
• “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” — Arthur Ashe
• “Change is the end result of all true learning.” – Leo Buscaglia
• “Your life is your story, and the adventure ahead of you is the journey to fulfill your own purpose and potential.” —Kerry Washington
• “A great accomplishment shouldn’t be the end of the road, just the starting point for the next leap forward.” – Harvey Mackay

Highschool Quotes

• “In school, you’re taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you’re given a test that teaches you a lesson.” – Tom Bodett
• “It doesn’t matter that your dream came true if you spent your whole life sleeping.” – Jerry Zucker
• “True terror is to wake up one morning and discover that your high school class is running the country.” Kurt Vonnegut
• “High school is about finding who you are, because that’s more important than trying to be someone else.” – Nick Jonas
• “What makes a child gifted and talented may not always be good grades in school, but a different way of looking at the world and learning.” – Chuck Grassley

Graduation Quotes from Parents

• Congratulations on your graduation, son! We are proud to see you paving your own way to adult life. We wish you every success in all your future endeavors. Your loving and supportive parents.
• I am sure today is one of your many accomplishments to come. It warms my heart to look back at all the work you have done at school and see your bright future. No matter which path you choose, you can always rely on my complete support and understanding.
• Today is the day to praise your hard work and reflect on the amount of effort put into becoming a graduate. I am a very proud parent of a responsible and smart kid who is now ready to choose his/her own path. I will always be there for you whenever you need me.
• I am both happy and sad to see my little girl graduating. You have become an intelligent young woman so quickly. I am thankful for everything your teachers did to help you grow and become a wonderful person you are.
• You have made this day a very special occasion to all our family. We are all proud to see you graduating and planning your life as a smart and independent adult. We love you and will always support your choices and decisions.

When looking for high school graduation speech examples, you are most likely to find texts that have already been used numerous times. Such speeches are no longer unique or topical. You can use parts of them, but it won’t be enough to construct a speech to remember.

A good high school valedictorian speech example can only offer a few wise thoughts or quotes. However, it will not make your speech as personal as it should be. For a first-time speaker, the best you can take from a sample high school graduation speech is a structure and possible themes. However, you are also at risk of copying clichés and truisms from a sample that will diminish the importance of your message.

Since writing a good speech by yourself can be a time-consuming and exhausting challenge, it is safer to seek professional help. Having found a reliable writing service, you can have a qualified writer compose a speech to remember. While your writer will be working on your message, you carry on with choosing your graduation outfit.

College Graduation Speech

Most college graduation messages tend to look alike and repeat themselves. Naturally, it is not easy to find new words of encouragement for college students every year. Since finishing school is an annual event, college graduation speeches by students are rarely as exciting and memorable as you would expect.

If you consider turning a college graduation speech sample found online into a worthy message, you should realize the risk of getting a second-quality piece of writing. As a rule, sample speeches include numerous sayings and quotes such as cheesy quotes on colleges, pompous college motivation quotes, over-enthusiastic quotes about college life, and tons of overwhelmingly positive quotations on college experiences.

It is utterly up to you what kind of quotes to incorporate into your speech, but here is one of the best how to speech ideas for college students you can find – DO NOT try to stuff your message with as many wise phrases as possible. It is unnatural and rather pretentious, and no one likes it. Using one motivational quote for college students will be enough. You can make it two if they are not too lengthy and add value to your narration.

Here are a few motivational speech topics for college students you can consider to mention in your message to make it worthy and special:

• Personal Growth
• Valuable Contributions
• Humanity and Compassion
• Professional vs. Personal Priorities
• Love and Respect

Graduation Speech Quotes

Here are some quotes from famous people you can use in your speech:

Short Graduation Quotes

• “Take pride in how far you’ve come. Have faith in how far you can go. But don’t forget to enjoy the journey.” —Michael Josephson
• “Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.” – Napoleon Hill
• “Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.” – Albert Einstein
• “Keep in mind that neither success nor failure is ever final.” – Roger Babson
• “Hitch your wagon to a star.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Funny Quotes about Graduation

• “Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there.” – Will Rogers
• “It is clear the future holds great opportunities. It also holds pitfalls. The trick will be to avoid the pitfalls, seize the opportunities, and get back home by six o’clock.” – Woody Allen
• “If you feel that you have both feet planted on level ground, then the university has failed you.” – Robert Goheen
• “Thankfully dreams can change. If we’d all stuck with our first dream, the world would be overrun with cowboys and princesses. So whatever your dream is right now, if you don’t achieve it, you haven’t failed, and you’re not some loser. But just as importantly—and this is the part I may not get right, and you may not listen to—if you do get your dream, you are not a winner.” – Stephen Colbert
• “Graduates: you will never have more energy or enthusiasm, hair, or brain cells than you have today.” – Tom and Ray, The Car Talk Guys

Quotes about Endings (Finishing)

• “It is always important to know when something has reached its end. Closing circles, shutting doors, finishing chapters, it doesn’t matter what we call it; what matters is to leave in the past those moments in life that are over.” ― Paulo Coelho
• “Life is not so much about beginnings and endings as it is about going on and on and on. It is about muddling through the middle.” – Anna Quindlen
• “In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
• “There’s a trick to the ‘graceful exit.’ It begins with the vision to recognize when a job, a life stage, or a relationship is over – and let it go. It means leaving what’s over without denying its validity or its past importance to our lives. It involves a sense of future, a belief that every exit line is an entry, that we are moving up, rather than out.” – Ellen Goodman
• “I wanted a perfect ending. Now I’ve learned, the hard way, that some poems don’t rhyme, and some stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what’s going to happen next. Delicious Ambiguity.” – Gilda Radner

“Oh the Places You’ll Go” Quotes for Graduation

• “Oh the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. And the magical things you can do with that ball will make you the winning-est winner of all.”
• “Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away! You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who’ll decide where to go.”
• “Kid, you’ll move mountains.”
• “You’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, So… get on your way!”
• “You’ll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left.”

Spiritual Graduation Quotes

• “What we are is God’s gift to us. What we become is our gift to God.” – Eleanor Powell
• “You get to consciously decide what has meaning and what doesn’t. You get to decide what to worship.” – David Foster Wallace
• “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” – Robert Louis Stevenson
• “God wants us to know that life is a series of beginnings, not endings. Just as graduations are not terminations, but commencements. Creation is an ongoing process, and when we create a perfect world where love and compassion are shared by all, suffering will cease.” – Bernie Siegel
• “You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. You can’t get there by bus, only by hard work and risk and by not quite knowing what you’re doing, but what you’ll discover will be wonderful. What you’ll discover will be yourself.” – Alan Alda

By now, you should realize that writing senior class president graduation speeches or simple thank you speech for graduation is not that simple at all. To save your time and ensure your farewell message to peers, teachers, and parents is both valuable and entertaining, consider getting a part of speech help from reputable speech writing services . So don’t hold off the joy of getting a speech to remember and order one from a professional writer.

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22 valuable pieces of advice from graduation speeches through history

• Most commencement speeches tend to follow a similar formula.
• However, some are so inspiring they are remembered long after graduation.
• Presidents, Nobel Prize winners, CEOs, and comedians have all inspired graduates with their words.

Commencement speeches are often an opportunity for media moguls, celebrities, and CEOs to impart wisdom to the graduating classes of colleges and universities across the country. 

Presidents have also used commencement speeches as more casual environments to drive home the values of their administrations, such as John F. Kennedy's 1963 speech at American University that called for peace. 

Here are valuable pieces of advice from graduation speeches through history.

Richard Feloni and Rachel Gillett contributed to a previous version of this article.

"Our problems are manmade — therefore, they can be solved by man." — John F. Kennedy's 1963 speech at American University

Against the tumult of the early '60s, John F. Kennedy inspired graduates to strive for what may be the biggest goal of them all: world peace.

"Too many of us think it is impossible," he said. "Too many think it unreal. But that is a dangerous, defeatist belief. It leads to the conclusion that war is inevitable — that mankind is doomed — that we are gripped by forces we cannot control."

Our job is not to accept that, he urged. "Our problems are manmade — therefore, they can be solved by man. And man can be as big as he wants." 

"Be the heroine of your life, not the victim." — Nora Ephron's 1996 speech at Wellesley College

Addressing her fellow alums with trademark wit, Ephron reflected on all the things that had changed since her days at Wellesley — and all the things that hadn't.

"My class went to college in the era when you got a master's degree in teaching because it was 'something to fall back on' in the worst case scenario, the worst case scenario being that no one married you and you actually had to go to work," she said.

But while things had changed drastically by 1996, Ephron warned grads not to "delude yourself that the powerful cultural values that wrecked the lives of so many of my classmates have vanished from the earth." 

"Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim," she said. "Maybe young women don't wonder whether they can have it all any longer, but in case any of you are wondering, of course you can have it all. What are you going to do? Everything, is my guess. It will be a little messy, but embrace the mess. It will be complicated, but rejoice in the complications."

"We can learn to live without the sick excitement, without the kick of having scores to settle." — Kurt Vonnegut's 1999 speech at Agnes Scott College

The famed author became one of the most sought-after commencement speakers in the United States for many years, thanks to his insights on morality and cooperation. At Agnes Scott, he asked graduates to make the world a better place by respecting humanity and living without hate. Hammurabi lived 4,000 years ago, he pointed out. We can stop living by his code.

"We may never dissuade leaders of our nation or any other nation from responding vengefully, violently, to every insult or injury. In this, the Age of Television, they will continue to find irresistible the temptation to become entertainers, to compete with movies by blowing up bridges and police stations and factories and so on," he said.

"But in our personal lives, our inner lives, at least, we can learn to live without the sick excitement, without the kick of having scores to settle with this particular person, or that bunch of people, or that particular institution or race or nation. And we can then reasonably ask forgiveness for our trespasses, since we forgive those who trespass against us."

The result, he said, would be a happier, more peaceful, and more complete existence.

"You are your own stories." — Toni Morrison's 2004 speech at Wellesley College

Instead of the usual commencement platitudes — none of which, Morrison argued, are true anyway — the Nobel Prize-winning writer asked grads to create their own narratives. 

"What is now known is not all what you are capable of knowing," she said. "You are your own stories and therefore free to imagine and experience what it means to be human without wealth. What it feels like to be human without domination over others, without reckless arrogance, without fear of others unlike you, without rotating, rehearsing and reinventing the hatreds you learned in the sandbox."

In your own story, you can't control all the characters, Morrison said. "The theme you choose may change or simply elude you. But being your own story means you can always choose the tone. It also means that you can invent the language to say who you are and what you mean." Being a storyteller reflects a deep optimism, she said — and as a storyteller herself, "I see your life as already artful, waiting, just waiting and ready for you to make it art."

"Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose." — Steve Jobs' 2005 speech at Stanford University

In a remarkably personal address, the Apple founder and CEO advised graduates to live each day as if it were their last.

"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life," he said. He'd been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer a year earlier.

"Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important," he continued. "Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart."

Jobs said this mindset will make you understand the importance of your work. "And the only way to do great work is to love what you do," he said. "If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it."

Settling means giving in to someone else's vision of your life — a temptation Jobs warned against. "Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition."

"If you really learn how to pay attention, then you will know there are other options." — David Foster Wallace's 2005 speech at Kenyon College

In his now-legendary "This Is Water" speech, the author urged grads to be a little less arrogant and a little less certain about their beliefs.

"This is not a matter of virtue," Wallace said. "It's a matter of my choosing to do the work of somehow altering or getting free of my natural, hard-wired default setting, which is to be deeply and literally self-centered and to see and interpret everything through this lens of self."

Doing that will be hard, he said. "It takes will and effort, and if you are like me, some days you won't be able to do it, or you just flat won't want to."

But breaking free of that lens can allow you to truly experience life, to consider possibilities beyond your default reactions.

"If you're automatically sure that you know what reality is, and you are operating on your default setting, then you, like me, probably won't consider possibilities that aren't annoying and miserable," he said. "But if you really learn how to pay attention, then you will know there are other options. It will actually be within your power to experience a crowded, hot, slow, consumer-hell type situation as not only meaningful, but sacred, on fire with the same force that made the stars: love, fellowship, the mystical oneness of all things deep down."

"If it doesn't feel right, don't do it." — Oprah Winfrey's 2008 speech at Stanford University

The media mogul told Stanford's class of 2008 that they can't sacrifice happiness for money. "When you're doing the work you're meant to do, it feels right and every day is a bonus, regardless of what you're getting paid," she said.

She said you can feel when you're doing the right thing in your gut. "What I know now is that feelings are really your GPS system for life. When you're supposed to do something or not supposed to do something, your emotional guidance system lets you know," she said.

She explained that doing what your instincts tells you to do will make you more successful because it will drive you to work harder and will save you from debilitating stress.

"If it doesn't feel right, don't do it. That's the lesson. And that lesson alone will save you, my friends, a lot of grief," Winfrey said. "Even doubt means don't. This is what I've learned. There are many times when you don't know what to do. When you don't know what to do, get still, get very still, until you do know what to do."

"Life is an improvisation. You have no idea what's going to happen next and you are mostly just making things up as you go along." — Stephen Colbert's 2011 speech at Northwestern University

The comedian and host of the "Late Show" told grads they should never feel like they have it all figured out.

"Whatever your dream is right now, if you don't achieve it, you haven't failed, and you're not some loser. But just as importantly — and this is the part I may not get right and you may not listen to — if you do get your dream, you are not a winner," Colbert said.

It's a lesson he learned from his improv days. When actors are working together properly, he explained, they're all serving each other, playing off each other on a common idea. "And life is an improvisation. You have no idea what's going to happen next and you are mostly just making things up as you go along. And like improv, you cannot win your life," he said.

"There are few things more liberating in this life than having your worst fear realized." — Conan O'Brien's 2011 speech at Dartmouth College

In his hilarious 2011 address to Dartmouth College, the late-night host spoke about his brief run on "The Tonight Show" before being replaced by Jay Leno. O'Brien described the fallout as the lowest point in his life, feeling very publicly humiliated and defeated. But once he got back on his feet and went on a comedy tour across the country, he discovered something important.

"There are few things more liberating in this life than having your worst fear realized," he said.

He explained that for decades the ultimate goal of every comedian was to host "The Tonight Show," and like many comedians, he thought achieving that goal would define his success. "But that is not true. No specific job or career goal defines me, and it should not define you," he said.

He noted that disappointment is a part of life, and the beauty of it is that it can help you gain clarity and conviction.

"It is our failure to become our perceived ideal that ultimately defines us and makes us unique," O'Brien said. "It's not easy, but if you accept your misfortune and handle it right, your perceived failure can be a catalyst for profound re-invention."

 O'Brien said that dreams constantly evolve, and your ideal career path at 22 years old will not necessarily be the same at 32 or 42 years old. 

"I am here to tell you that whatever you think your dream is now, it will probably change. And that's OK," he said.

"The difference between triumph and defeat, you'll find, isn't about willingness to take risks — it's about mastery of rescue." — Atul Gawande's 2012 speech at Williams College

Pushing beyond the tired "take risks!" commencement cliché, the surgeon, writer, and activist took a more nuanced approach: what matters isn't just that you take risks; it's how you take them.

To explain, he turned to medicine."Scientists have given a new name to the deaths that occur in surgery after something goes wrong — whether it is an infection or some bizarre twist of the stomach," said Gawande. "They call them a 'Failure to Rescue.' More than anything, this is what distinguished the great from the mediocre. They didn't fail less. They rescued more."

What matters, he said, isn't the failure — that's inevitable — but what happens next. "A failure often does not have to be a failure at all. However, you have to be ready for it. Will you admit when things go wrong? Will you take steps to set them right? — because the difference between triumph and defeat, you'll find, isn't about willingness to take risks. It's about mastery of rescue."

"Err in the direction of kindness." — George Saunders' 2013 speech at Syracuse University

The writer stressed what turns out to be a deceptively simple idea: the importance of kindness.

"What I regret most in my life are failures of kindness ," he said. "Those moments when another human being was there, in front of me, suffering, and I responded ... sensibly. Reservedly. Mildly." 

But kindness is hard, he said. It's not necessarily our default. In part, he explained, kindness comes with age. "It might be a simple matter of attrition: as we get older, we come to see how useless it is to be selfish — how illogical, really." The challenge he laid out: Don't wait. "Speed it along," he urged. "Start right now."

"There's a confusion in each of us, a sickness, really:  selfishness, " Saunders said. "But there's also a cure. So be a good and proactive and even somewhat desperate patient on your own behalf — seek out the most efficacious anti-selfishness medicines, energetically, for the rest of your life."

"Do all the other things, the ambitious things — travel, get rich, get famous, innovate, lead, fall in love, make and lose fortunes, swim naked in wild jungle rivers (after first having it tested for monkey poop) – but as you do, to the extent that you can, err in the direction of kindness."

"Ditch the dream and be a doer, not a dreamer." — Shonda Rhimes' 2014 speech at Dartmouth College

The world's most powerful showrunner told grads to stop dreaming and start doing.

The world has plenty of dreamers, she said. "And while they are busy dreaming, the really happy people, the really successful people, the really interesting, engaged, powerful people, are busy doing." She pushed grads to be those people.

"Ditch the dream and be a doer, not a dreamer," she advised — whether or not you know what your "passion" might be. "The truth is, it doesn't matter. You don't have to know. You just have to keep moving forward. You just have to keep doing something, seizing the next opportunity, staying open to trying something new. It doesn't have to fit your vision of the perfect job or the perfect life. Perfect is boring and dreams are not real," she said.

"Your job is to create a world that lasts forever." — Steven Spielberg's 2016 speech at Harvard

"This world is full of monsters," director Steven Spielberg told Harvard graduates, and it's the next generation's job to vanquish them.

"My job is to create a world that lasts two hours. Your job is to create a world that lasts forever," he said.

These monsters manifest themselves as racism, homophobia, and ethnic, class, political, and religious hatred, he said, noting that there is no difference between them: "It is all one big hate."

Spielberg said that hate is born of an "us versus them" mentality, and thinking instead about people as "we" requires replacing fear with curiosity.

"'Us' and 'them' will find the 'we' by connecting with each other, and by believing that we're members of the same tribe, and by feeling empathy for every soul," he said.

"I wake up in a house that was built by slaves." — Michelle Obama's 2016 speech at the City College of New York

In her 23rd and final commencement speech as first lady, Michelle Obama urged the class of 2016 to pursue happiness and live out whatever version of the American Dream is right for them.

"It's the story that I witness every single day when I wake up in a house that was built by slaves," she said, "and I watch my daughters — two beautiful, Black young women — head off to school waving goodbye to their father, the president of the United States, the son of a man from Kenya who came here to America for the same reasons as many of you: to get an education and improve his prospects in life."

"So, graduates, while I think it's fair to say that our Founding Fathers never could have imagined this day," she continued, "all of you are very much the fruits of their vision. Their legacy is very much your legacy and your inheritance. And don't let anybody tell you differently. You are the living, breathing proof that the American Dream endures in our time. It's you."

"Not everything that happens to us happens because of us." — Sheryl Sandberg's 2016 speech at UC Berkeley

During the Facebook COO's deeply personal commencement speech  about resilience at UC Berkeley, she spoke on how understanding the three Ps that largely determine our ability to deal with setbacks helped her cope with the loss of her husband, Dave Goldberg.

She outlined the three Ps as:

· Personalization : Whether you believe an event is your fault. · Pervasiveness : Whether you believe an event will affect all areas of your life. · Permanence : How long you think the negative feelings will last.

"This is the lesson that not everything that happens to us happens because of us," Sandberg said about personalization. It took understanding this for Sandberg to accept that she couldn't have prevented her husband's death. "His doctors had not identified his coronary artery disease. I was an economics major; how could I have?"

"Empathy and kindness are the true signs of emotional intelligence." — Will Ferrell's 2017 speech at the University of Southern California

Comedian Will Ferrell, best known for lead roles in films like "Anchorman," "Elf," and "Talledega Nights," delivered a thoughtful speech to USC's graduating class of 2018.

"No matter how cliché it may sound, you will never truly be successful until you learn to give beyond yourself," he said. "Empathy and kindness are the true signs of emotional intelligence, and that's what Viv and I try to teach our boys. Hey Matthias, get your hands of Axel right now! Stop it. I can see you. OK? Dr. Ferrell's watching you."

He also offered some words of encouragement: "For many of you who maybe don't have it all figured out, it's OK. That's the same chair that I sat in. Enjoy the process of your search without succumbing to the pressure of the result."

He even finished off with a stirring rendition of the Whitney Houston classic, "I Will Always Love You." He was, of course, referring to the graduates.

"Call upon your grit. Try something." — Tim Cook's 2019 speech at Tulane University

Apple CEO Tim Cook delivered the 2019 commencement speech for the graduates of Tulane University, offering valuable advice on success.

"We forget sometimes that our preexisting beliefs have their own force of gravity," Cook said. "Today, certain algorithms pull toward you the things you already know, believe, or like, and they push away everything else. Push back."

"You may succeed. You may fail. But make it your life's work to remake the world because there is nothing more beautiful or more worthwhile than working to leave something better for humanity."

"As you leave this room don't forget to ask yourself what you can offer to make the 'club of life' go up? How can you make this place better, in spite of your circumstances?" — Issa Rae's 2021 speech at Stanford University

In the speech, Rae pulled lyrics from Boosie Badazz, Foxx, and Webbie's "Wipe Me Down," which she said she and her friends played on a boombox during  the "Wacky Walk" portion of their own 2007 graduation ceremony at Stanford, to illustrate the importance of seeing "every opportunity as a VIP — as someone who belongs and deserves to be here." 

Rae particularly drew attention to one line from the song: "I pull up at the club, VIP, gas tank on E, but all dranks on me. Wipe me down."

"To honor the classic song that has guided my own life — as you leave this room, don't forget to ask yourself what you can offer to make the 'club of life' go up. How can you make this place better, in spite of your circumstances?" she said. "And as you figure those things out, don't forget to step back and wipe yourselves down, wipe each other down and go claim what's yours like the VIPs that you are."

"My experience has been that my mistakes led to the best things in my life." — Taylor Swift's 2022 speech at New York University

In her first public appearance of 2022, Taylor Swift poked fun at her "cringe" fashion moments and her experience of growing up in the public eye, which led to receiving a lot of unsolicited career advice.

"I became a young adult while being fed the message that if I didn't make any mistakes, all the children of America would grow up to be perfect angels. However, if I did slip up, the entire Earth would fall off its axis and it would be entirely my fault and I would go to pop star jail forever and ever," Swift said in her speech. "It was all centered around the idea that mistakes equal failure and ultimately, the loss of any chance at a happy or rewarding life."

"This has not been my experience," she continued. "My experience has been that my mistakes led to the best things in my life."

She also alluded to her past feud with Kanye West, joking that "getting canceled on the internet and nearly losing my career gave me an excellent knowledge of all the types of wine."

She elaborated, saying that losing things doesn't just mean losing.

"A lot of the time, when we lose things, we gain things too," she said. 

"Your future is in your hands—all you have to do is listen." — Oprah Winfrey's 2023 speech at Harvard University

Winfrey also spoke to the graduating class of Harvard University about how God has guided her throughout her life, and the importance of listening.

"Life is always talking to us," she said in her speech. "When you tap into what it's trying to tell you, when you can get yourself quiet enough to listen — really listen — you can begin to distill the still, small voice, which is always representing the truth of you, from the noise of the world. You can start to recognize when it comes your way. You can learn to make distinctions, to connect, to dig a little deeper. You'll be able to find your own voice within the still, small voice—you'll begin to know your own heart and figure out what matters most when you can listen to the still, small voice. Every right move I've made has come from listening deeply and following that still, small voice, aligning myself with its power."

Winfrey also discussed avoiding imposter syndrome, tapping into who you are, and treating others with integrity. 

"We also need generosity of spirit; we need high standards and open minds and untamed imagination," she continued. "That's how you make a difference in the world. Using who you are and what you stand for to make changes big and small."

"The soul of America is what makes us unique among all nations." — Joe Biden's 2023 speech at Howard University

The president received an honorary degree and spoke of the values of America at the HBCU, the alma mater of his vice president, Kamala Harris.

"We're the only country founded on an idea — not geography, not religion, not ethnicity, but an idea. The sacred proposition, rooted in Scripture and enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, that we're all created equal in the image of God and deserve to be treated equally throughout our lives," Biden said. "While we've never fully lived up to that promise, we never before fully walked away from it."

Biden also addressed many of the causes his campaign has pushed over the years, including the right to choose and "to put democracy on the ballot."

"We can finally resolve those ongoing questions about who we are as a nation. That puts strength of our diversity at the center of American life," he continued. "A future that celebrates and learns from history. A future for all Americans. A future I see you leading. And I'm not, again, exaggerating. You are going to be leading it."

"Humor is the most powerful, most survival-essential quality you will ever have or need to navigate through the human experience." — Jerry Seinfeld's 2024 speech at Duke University

Seinfeld's commencement speech made headlines after students walked out of his speech in protest of the war in Gaza. Seinfeld has been public about his support for Israel.

Despite the controversy, the speech offered valuable pieces of advice. The comedian and sitcom star's speech addressed the value of not losing your sense of humor, no matter what life throws at you.

"I totally admire the ambitions of your generation to create a more just and inclusive society," he said. "I think it is also wonderful that you care so much about not hurting other people's feelings in the million and one ways we all do that."

"What I need to tell you as a comedian: Do not lose your sense of humor," he continued. "You can have no idea at this point in your life how much you are going to need it to get through. Not enough of life makes sense for you to be able to survive it without humor."

Seinfeld also offered his "three keys to life": "Number one. Bust your ass. Number two. Pay attention. Number three. Fall in love."

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A Commencement Speech for the Class of 2024

College commencement address season regularly delivers controversy alongside the clichés and this year was no exception, with students staging pro-Palestinian demonstrations and Kansas City Chiefs' kicker Harrison Butker’s patriarchal, anti-LGBTQ, and antisemitic address  at Benedictine College. As many have noted, many of this year’s college graduates had their 2020 high school graduation ceremonies canceled because of COVID-19.

As a faith leader, I wanted to offer my own reflections to this group of young people who have already faced tremendous challenges in life and yet who have demonstrated their resilience and fierce passion for justice. If you are a graduate or have a close family or friend that is graduating, this message is particularly for you, along with my heartfelt congratulations; I hope it offers some hope and spiritual sustenance in a time of such deep uncertainty. 

For the Class of 2024

Take a deep breath and look around: You made it.

As you exhale, I want to tell you about a song that came out while most of you were just barely out of kindergarten. The song, called “ Overcomer ,” was by Mandisa, an American Idol finalist and gospel artist whose friend was struggling through breast cancer. “You’re an overcomer,” soars the song’s chorus, “Stay in the fight ‘til the final round / You’re not going under / ‘Cause God is holding you right now.”

I share this with you, Class of 2024, because you are overcomers. Your educational lives were upended by the pandemic, yet you demonstrated your resilience, overcoming the challenges of online learning and social distancing to reach this milestone. You dealt with stress, anxiety, isolation, and other mental health challenges in ways no previous generation has faced. Yes, you are already overcomers.

And yet, I also share this song because there’s an important footnote to its history, one that makes the song even more poignant: Though the song — part of a Grammy-winning album — was written to express the singer’s hope that her friend would “overcome” breast cancer, that friend never recovered and eventually died. For Mandisa, the song also became about her own journey through the grief and spiritual doubt she grappled with after her friend’s death. And more recently, it’s been a song many of Mandisa’s fans have turned to following their own grief after Mandisa’s own tragic and unexpected death. In short, it’s a song about overcoming that has had to wrestle with some cold hard facts of life’s uncertainty. Much like you.

Class of 2024, you are indeed overcomers, but you’re also no strangers to grief, doubt, and other emotions we don’t often acknowledge in commencement addresses. As you accept your well-deserved diploma, I don’t need to tell you that you’re graduating in an unsettling time: uncertainty around the most consequential election of your (and my) lifetime, uncertainty around the future of our planet amid an accelerating climate crisis, and uncertainty as to the outcome of horrific and intractable wars in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, and so many other places. You may be uncertain about your job prospects, whether Social Security will remain solvent by the time of your retirement, or whether you will ever be able to afford a home in this overheated housing market. If you’re a Christian, you may feel uncertain about how you can stay in a faith that has so often been distorted from the gospel.

Maybe you’re hoping I’ll offer some words that would keep those feelings of uncertainty at bay, if only for a little while. But I’ve got bad news: Life is just going to keep throwing uncertainty at you.

I say this as a Christian, who trusts deeply that nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God” (Romans 8:39) and believes God was telling the truth when God promised “never will I leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5) and to “make all things new” (Revelation 21:5). Yet I also know that even with those promises in hand, uncertainty can still be unsettling, anxiety-causing, and despair-inducing.

The best response, I believe, is neither to ignore the uncertainty we face nor allow ourselves to be consumed by it. Instead, we can acknowledge the uncertainty while anchoring ourselves in the personal, communal, and spiritual resources that give us resilience to overcome.

As you commence into this next season of life and career, I want to share three practices that have helped me feel anchored in an ever-changing world — and which I hope will also sustain you.

1. Get to know yourself more deeply

We often advise young people, especially graduates, “to find what you are passionate about, and it won’t feel like work.” And while there’s a kernel of truth in the cliché, I think better advice is: Get to know yourself. I have found incredible guidance in the work of Howard Thurman, a spiritual mentor to Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and author of Jesus and the Disinherited . In his 1980 baccalaureate address to Spelman College, Thurman said:

“There is in you something that waits and listens for the sound of the genuine in yourself. Nobody like you has ever been born […] and no one like you will ever be born again — you are the only one […] You are the only you that has ever lived; your idiom is the only idiom of its kind in all the existences, and if you cannot hear the sound of the genuine in you, you will all of your life spend your days on the ends of strings that somebody else pulls […] Cultivate the discipline of listening to the sound of the genuine in yourself.”

For me, this discipline of “listening to the sound of the genuine” in myself has involved the weekly routine of running, where I shut out all of the noise and listen to my own heartbeat as I also commune with God. It doesn’t have to be running; for you it may be a pastime or some other ritual — what matters most is that you prioritize time to listen.

You have likely been the recipient of plenty of advice in this graduation season, both solicited and unsolicited. Seeking counsel from others is important, but equally if not more important is to be able to recognize what brings you alive. This voice will help you discern the deeper purpose, that shapes your sense of vocation. It has taken a lot introspection and self-actualization to get there, but inspired by Bill George’s book Discover Your True North , I’ve fashioned a purpose statement that serves as a compass for my life, which is to run a relay race that spreads ubuntu , an African philosophy summed up as “ I am because we are ,” and builds the beloved community. I encourage you to develop over time your own pithy and memorable statement that captures the essence of your own sense of deeper purpose.

2. Make time to rest

As Audre Lorde famously wrote, “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” My advice to you? Remember to rest well. This is advice that I wish I had taken to heart so much earlier in my own life and career. One of the books that made the biggest impact in my early career was Rest in the Storm by pastor Kirk Byron Jones. In it, Jones addresses the danger of overload, often tied to the false belief we are either indispensable or invincible. Jones reminds us that even Jesus took a nap in boat amid the storm while his disciples were panicking (Matthew 8:23-27) and encourages readers to find their own space “in the back of the boat,” which he defines as that “place where we may feel God’s full acceptance and bask in the glorious joy that is life apart from our stiving and straining.”

Rest is not just an act; it’s a commitment to caring for yourself so you can better realize your aspirations and care for others. Rest can take on many forms — though I can certainly attest that sleep is never overrated. It can also mean a silent retreat, regular meditation, deep breathing exercises, and other practices.

3. Imagine a different world … and help build it

Following my own college graduation, I became convinced that how my generation responded to the HIV/AIDS crisis would define my generation. I started an organization called Global Justice to mobilize students to respond to the devastating global crisis, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. At the time, the crisis felt impossible to overcome: Millions of lives were at stake and the cost of life-prolonging treatment was largely beyond reach for most people who needed it. But through tireless activism, a movement led by people living with HIV, students, faith leaders, and others successfully built enough awareness and political will to inspire bold bipartisan leadership, including through passage of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. More than 20 years later, the initiative has saved  25 million lives and played a key role in some nations’ response to COVID.

You have many issues that may define your generation: the growing climate crisis; forging a lasting peace not just in Gaza but in the entire Middle East; the often-hidden crises of loneliness, depression, and suicide; the crisis facing our fragile democracy. Naming these crises can feel overwhelming or even push us to the point of resignation and paralysis. But from my experience, there are always “smooth stones” in our midst.

The idea of smooth stones is a metaphor I and others borrow from the biblical story of David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17), in which David — a shepherd boy — agrees to face the mighty Philistine Goliath in battle. King Saul offers David a sword and armor, but they’re so heavy David removes them. Instead, David uses his sling and finds five smooth stones from a nearby brook. With one stone, David defeats Goliath in battle, knocking him down.

Like David, we often have more of an advantage over what we face than we realize: Instead of using conventional weapons, David reimagines the battlefield according to the unique gifts that God has given him. We can draw on that same kind of sanctified imagination to see beyond our broken reality of what is and see the possibility of what could be. Resist the many forces that seek to stifle and suffocate your imagination, from the never-ending stream of merchandise (and disinformation) served up by algorithms to your own inner feelings of self-doubt, shame, or powerlessness.

More than 25 years ago, at my own graduation ceremony at Emory University, the Dalai Lama offered a commencement address — something that still feels a little surreal. I can still picture his contagious smile and diminutive but powerful stature on the stage. When I went forward to receive an award, the Dalai Lama stood up and bowed directly in front of me. I was both startled and profoundly humbled.

The Dalai Lama shared with us that our degrees alone would not make us successful or even happy. “Education is, I believe, like an instrument,” he said. “Whether that instrument is utilized properly or constructively, or differently, depends on the user.” He continued, noting that, “on the other hand, [being] a good person means [having] a good heart, a sense of caring for others and a sense of commitment, a sense of responsibility,” he said. “If you combine these two” —education and good heart — “your whole life will be constructive and happy, and certainly you can make immense benefits for society.” 

Borrowing from the name of the organization that I lead, I invite you to sojourn, viewing your life and career as a spiritual pilgrimage that continually changes both you and the rest of us. Your passion for humanity, for justice, and for the future of this planet are all desperately needed in this world, right now. Your voice matters and can challenge and transform even the most intractable systems and attitudes. Our communities, our nation, and our world all need you to be bold; we need you to shine brightly and continue to be an overcomer. And as you overcome, combine your education with a good heart so you can build the kind of beloved community in which you and others can truly thrive. 

Rev. Adam Russell Taylor is president of Sojourners and author of  A More Perfect Union: A New Vision for Building the Beloved Community . Follow him on X  @revadamtaylor .

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Morehouse College graduates arrives ahead of a commencement ceremony in Atlanta, Georgia on May 19, 2024. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz

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Full Text: Harrison Butker of Kansas City Chiefs Graduation Speech

The Super Bowl champ and kicker spoke about the dignity of life, masculinity, and the most important role of all: motherhood.

Editor’s Note: Harrison Butker, 28, the placekicker for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League, delivered the commencement address at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, on Saturday, May 11, 2024. A transcript of his remarks is below.

Ladies and gentlemen of the Class of 2024:  I would like to start off by congratulating all of you for successfully making it to this achievement today. I'm sure your high school graduation was not what you had imagined, and most likely, neither was your first couple years of college.

By making it to this moment through all the adversity thrown your way from COVID, I hope you learned the important lessons that suffering in this life is only temporary. As a group, you witnessed firsthand how bad leaders who don't stay in their lane can have a negative impact on society. It is through this lens that I want to take stock of how we got to where we are, and where we want to go as citizens and, yes, as Catholics. One last thing before I begin, I want to be sure to thank President Minnis and the board for their invitation to speak.

When President Minnis first reached out a couple of months ago, I had originally said No. You see, last year I gave the commencement address at my alma mater, Georgia Tech, and I felt that one graduation speech was more than enough, especially for someone who isn't a professional speaker. But of course, President Minnis used his gift of persuasion. [ Laughter ] It spoke to the many challenges you all faced throughout the COVID fiasco ,and how you missed out on so many milestones the rest of us older people have taken for granted. While COVID might have played a large role throughout your formative years, it is not unique. Bad policies and poor leadership have negatively impacted major life issues. Things like abortion, IVF, surrogacy, euthanasia, as well as a growing support for degenerate cultural values in media, all stem from the pervasiveness of disorder.

Our own nation is led by a man who publicly and proudly proclaims his Catholic faith, but at the same time is delusional enough to make the Sign of the Cross during a pro- abortion rally. He has been so vocal in his support for the murder of innocent babies that I'm sure to many people it appears that you can be both Catholic and pro-choice.

He is not alone. From the man behind the COVID lockdowns to the people pushing dangerous gender ideologies onto the youth of America, they all have a glaring thing in common. They are Catholic. This is an important reminder that being Catholic alone doesn't cut it.

These are the sorts of things we are told in polite society to not bring up. You know, the difficult and unpleasant things. But if we are going to be men and women for this time in history, we need to stop pretending that the "Church of Nice" is a winning proposition. We must always speak and act in charity, but never mistake charity for cowardice.

It is safe to say that over the past few years, I have gained quite the reputation for speaking my mind. I never envisioned myself, nor wanted, to have this sort of a platform, but God has given it to me, so I have no other choice but to embrace it and preach more hard truths about accepting your lane and staying in it.

As members of the Church founded by Jesus Christ, it is our duty and ultimately privilege to be authentically and unapologetically Catholic. Don't be mistaken, even within the Church, people in polite Catholic circles will try to persuade you to remain silent. There even was an award-winning film called Silence , made by a fellow Catholic, wherein one of the main characters, a Jesuit priest, abandoned the Church, and as an apostate when he died is seen grasping a crucifix, quiet and unknown to anyone but God. As a friend of Benedictine College, His Excellency Bishop Robert Barron, said in his review of the film, it was exactly what the cultural elite want to see in Christianity -- private, hidden away, and harmless.

Our Catholic faith has always been countercultural. Our Lord, along with countless followers, were all put to death for their adherence to her teachings. The world around us says that we should keep our beliefs to ourselves whenever they go against the tyranny of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We fear speaking truth, because now, unfortunately, truth is in the minority. Congress just passed a bill where stating something as basic as the biblical teaching of who killed Jesus could land you in jail.

But make no mistake, before we even attempt to fix any of the issues plaguing society, we must first get our own house in order, and it starts with our leaders. The bishops and priests appointed by God as our spiritual fathers must be rightly ordered. There is not enough time today for me to list all the stories of priests and bishops misleading their flocks, but none of us can blame ignorance anymore and just blindly proclaim that “That's what Father said.” Because sadly, many priests we are looking to for leadership are the same ones who prioritize their hobbies or even photos with their dogs and matching outfits for the parish directory.

It's easy for us laymen and women to think that in order for us to be holy, that we must be active in our parish and try to fix it. Yes, we absolutely should be involved in supporting our parishes, but we cannot be the source for our parish priests to lean on to help with their problems. Just as we look at the relationship between a father and his son, so too should we look at the relationship between a priest and his people. It would not be appropriate for me to always be looking to my son for help when it is my job as his father to lead him.

St. Josemaría Escrivá states that priests are ordained to serve, and should not yield to temptation to imitate laypeople, but to be priests through and through. Tragically, so many priests revolve much of their happiness from the adulation they receive from their parishioners, and in searching for this, they let their guard down and become overly familiar. This undue familiarity will prove to be problematic every time, because as my teammate's girlfriend says, familiarity breeds contempt. [ Laughter ]

Saint Josemaría continues that some want to see the priest as just another man. That is not so. They want to find in the priest those virtues proper to every Christian, and indeed every honorable man:  understanding, justice, a life of work — priestly work, in this instance — and good manners. It is not prudent as the laity for us to consume ourselves in becoming amateur theologians so that we can decipher this or that theological teaching — unless, of course, you are a theology major. We must be intentional with our focus on our state in life and our own vocation. And for most of us, that's as married men and women. Still, we have so many great resources at our fingertips that it doesn't take long to find traditional and timeless teachings that haven't been ambiguously reworded for our times. Plus, there are still many good and holy priests, and it's up to us to seek them out.

The chaos of the world is unfortunately reflected in the chaos in our parishes, and sadly, in our cathedrals too. As we saw during the pandemic, too many bishops were not leaders at all. They were motivated by fear, fear of being sued, fear of being removed, fear of being disliked. They showed by their actions, intentional or unintentional, that the sacraments don't actually matter. Because of this, countless people died alone, without access to the sacraments, and it's a tragedy we must never forget. As Catholics, we can look to so many examples of heroic shepherds who gave their lives for their people, and ultimately, the Church. We cannot buy into the lie that the things we experienced during COVID were appropriate. Over the centuries, there have been great wars, great famines, and yes, even great diseases, all that came with a level of lethality and danger. But in each of those examples, Church leaders leaned into their vocations and ensured that their people received the sacraments.

Great saints like St. Damien of Molokai, who knew the dangers of his ministry, stayed for 11 years as a spiritual leader to the leper colonies of Hawaii. His heroism is looked at today as something set apart and unique, when ideally it should not be unique at all. For as a father loves his child, so a shepherd should love his spiritual children, too.

That goes even more so for our bishops, these men who are present-day apostles. Our bishops once had adoring crowds of people kissing their rings and taking in their every word, but now relegate themselves to a position of inconsequential existence. Now, when a bishop of a diocese or the bishop's conference as a whole puts out an important document on this matter or that, nobody even takes a moment to read it, let alone follow it.

No. Today, our shepherds are far more concerned with keeping the doors open to the chancery than they are with saying the difficult stuff out loud. It seems that the only time you hear from your bishops is when it's time for the annual appeal, whereas we need our bishops to be vocal about the teachings of the Church, setting aside their own personal comfort and embracing their cross. Our bishops are not politicians but shepherds, so instead of fitting in the world by going along to get along, they too need to stay in their lane and lead.

I say all of this not from a place of anger, as we get the leaders we deserve. But this does make me reflect on staying in my lane and focusing on my own vocation and how I can be a better father and husband and live in the world but not be of it. Focusing on my vocation while praying and fasting for these men will do more for the Church than me complaining about her leaders.

Because there seems to be so much confusion coming from our leaders, there needs to be concrete examples for people to look to in places like Benedictine, a little Kansas college built high on a bluff above the Missouri River, are showing the world how an ordered, Christ-centered existence is the recipe for success. You need to look no further than the examples all around this campus, where over the past 20 years, enrollment has doubled, construction and revitalization are a constant part of life, and people, the students, the faculty and staff, are thriving. This didn't happen by chance. In a deliberate movement to embrace traditional Catholic values, Benedictine has gone from just another liberal arts school with nothing to set it apart to a thriving beacon of light and a reminder to us all that when you embrace tradition, success — worldly and spiritual — will follow.

I am certain the reporters at the AP could not have imagined that their attempt to rebuke and embarrass places and people like those here at Benedictine wouldn't be met with anger, but instead met with excitement and pride. Not the deadly sin sort of pride that has an entire month dedicated to it, but the true God-centered pride that is cooperating with the Holy Ghost to glorify him. Reading that article now shared all over the world, we see that in the complete surrender of self and a turning towards Christ, you will find happiness. Right here in a little town in Kansas, we find many inspiring laypeople using their talents.

President Minnis, Dr. [Andrew] Swafford, and Dr. [Jared] Zimmerer are a few great examples right here on this very campus that will keep the light of Christ burning bright for generations to come. Being locked in with your vocation and staying in your lane is going to be the surest way for you to find true happiness and peace in this life.

It is essential that we focus on our own state in life, whether that be as a layperson, a priest, or religious. Ladies and gentlemen of the class of 2024, you are sitting at the edge of the rest of your lives. Each of you has the potential to leave a legacy that transcends yourselves and this era of human existence. In the small ways, by living out your vocation, you will ensure that God's Church continues and the world is enlightened by your example.

For the ladies present today, congratulations on an amazing accomplishment. You should be proud of all that you have achieved to this point in your young lives. I want to speak directly to you briefly because I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you. How many of you are sitting here now about to cross this stage and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you are going to get in your career? Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world, but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.

I can tell you that my beautiful wife, Isabelle, would be the first to say that her life truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother. I'm on the stage today and able to be the man I am because I have a wife who leans into her vocation. I'm beyond blessed with the many talents God has given me, but it cannot be overstated that all of my success is made possible because a girl I met in band class back in middle school would convert to the faith, become my wife, and embrace one of the most important titles of all: homemaker.

[ Applause lasting 18 seconds ]

She is a primary educator to our children. She is the one who ensures I never let football or my business become a distraction from that of a husband and father. She is the person that knows me best at my core, and it is through our marriage that, Lord willing, we will both attain salvation.

I say all of this to you because I have seen it firsthand how much happier someone can be when they disregard the outside noise and move closer and closer to God's will in their life. Isabelle's dream of having a career might not have come true, but if you asked her today if she has any regrets on her decision, she would laugh out loud, without hesitation, and say, “Heck, No.”

As a man who gets a lot of praise and has been given a platform to speak to audiences like this one today, I pray that I always use my voice for God and not for myself. Everything I am saying to you is not from a place of wisdom, but rather a place of experience. I am hopeful that these words will be seen as those from a man, not much older than you, who feels it is imperative that this class, this generation, and this time in our society must stop pretending that the things we see around us are normal.

Heterodox ideas abound even within Catholic circles. But let's be honest, there is nothing good about playing God with having children — whether that be your ideal number or the perfect time to conceive. No matter how you spin it, there is nothing natural about Catholic birth control.

It is only in the past few years that I have grown encouraged to speak more boldly and directly because, as I mentioned earlier, I have leaned into my vocation as a husband and father, and as a man.

To the gentlemen here today: Part of what plagues our society is this lie that has been told to you that men are not necessary in the home or in our communities. As men, we set the tone of the culture, and when that is absent, disorder, dysfunction, and chaos set in. This absence of men in the home is what plays a large role in the violence we see all around the nation. Other countries do not have nearly the same absentee father rates as we find here in the U.S., and a correlation could be made in their drastically lower violence rates, as well.

Be unapologetic in your masculinity, fighting against the cultural emasculation of men. Do hard things. Never settle for what is easy. You might have a talent that you don't necessarily enjoy, but if it glorifies God, maybe you should lean into that over something that you might think suits you better. I speak from experience as an introvert who now finds myself as an amateur public speaker and an entrepreneur, something I never thought I'd be when I received my industrial engineering degree.

The road ahead is bright. Things are changing. Society is shifting. And people, young and old, are embracing tradition. Not only has it been my vocation that has helped me and those closest to me, but not surprising to many of you, should be my outspoken embrace of the traditional Latin Mass. I've been very vocal in my love and devotion to the TLM and its necessity for our lives. But what I think gets misunderstood is that people who attend the TLM do so out of pride or preference. I can speak to my own experience, but for most people I have come across within these communities this simply is not true. I do not attend the TLM because I think I am better than others, or for the smells and bells, or even for the love of Latin. I attend the TLM because I believe, just as the God of the Old Testament was pretty particular in how he wanted to be worshipped, the same holds true for us today. It is through the TLM that I encountered order, and began to pursue it in my own life. Aside from the TLM itself, too many of our sacred traditions have been relegated to things of the past, when in my parish, things such as ember days, days when we fast and pray for vocations and for our priests, are still adhered to. The TLM is so essential that I would challenge each of you to pick a place to move where it is readily available.

A lot of people have complaints about the parish or the community, but we should not sacrifice the Mass for community. I prioritize the TLM even if the parish isn't beautiful, the priest isn't great, or the community isn't amazing. I still go to the TLM because I believe the holy sacrifice of the Mass is more important than anything else. I say this knowing full well that when each of you rekindle your knowledge and adherence to many of the church's greatest traditions, you will see how much more colorful and alive your life can and should be.

As you move on from this place and enter into the world, know that you will face many challenges. Sadly, I'm sure many of you know of the countless stories of good and active members of this community who, after graduation and moving away from the Benedictine bubble, have ended up moving in with their boyfriend or girlfriend prior to marriage. Some even leave the Church and abandon God. It is always heartbreaking to hear these stories, and there is a desire to know what happened and what went wrong.

What you must remember is that life is about doing the small things well, setting yourself up for success, and surrounding yourself with people who continually push you to be the best version of you. I say this all the time, that iron sharpens iron. It's a great reminder that those closest to us should be making us better. If you are dating someone who doesn't even share your faith, how do you expect that person to help you become a saint? If your friend group is filled with people who only think about what you're doing next weekend and are not willing to have those difficult conversations, how can they help sharpen you?

As you prepare to enter into the workforce, it is extremely important that you actually think about the places you are moving to. Who is the bishop? What kind of parishes are there? Do they offer the TLM and have priests who embrace their priestly vocation? Cost of living must not be the only arbiter of your choices, for a life without God is not a life at all, and the cost of salvation is worth more than any career.

I'm excited for the future, and I pray that something I have said will resonate as you move on to the next chapter of your life.

Never be afraid to profess the one holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church, for this is the Church that Jesus Christ established, through which we receive sanctifying grace.

I know that my message today had a little less fluff than is expected for these speeches, but I believe that this audience and this venue is the best place to speak openly and honestly about who we are and where we all want to go, which is Heaven.

I thank God for Benedictine College and for the example it provides the world. I thank God for men like President Minnis, who are doing their part for the Kingdom. Come to find out you can have an authentically Catholic college and a thriving football program. [ Laughter and applause ]

Make no mistake: You are entering into mission territory in a post-God world, but you were made for this. And with God by your side and a constant striving for virtue within your vocation, you too can be a saint.

Christ is King.

To the Heights.

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| 5.23.2024

Shruthi Kumar ’24, Senior English Address: “The Power of Not Knowing”

Amid divisions and uncertainties, finding “space for empathy, solidarity, and a willingness to listen”.

Return to main article:

As prepared for delivery. For Kumar’s additional remarks, please read the accompanying article .

The Power of Not Knowing

Today, we are celebrated for what we know. In fact, for most of our lives, we’ve learned to feel a sense of accomplishment from the awards, accolades, and honors that lined our childhood homes. How much we knew and how we leveraged it got us far. It got us here. But today, I want to convince you of something counterintuitive that I’ve learned from the Class of 2024: the power of not knowing.

I grew up in the Great Plains of Nebraska alongside cattle ranches and cornfields. As the eldest daughter of South Asian immigrants, I was the first in my family to go to college here in the US. There was a lot I didn’t know. When it came time, I asked my parents how to apply to colleges. They too said, “I don’t know.”

The words “I don’t know” used to make me feel powerless. Like there was no answer, and therefore, no way. As if I was admitting defeat.

From Nebraska to Harvard, I found myself redefining this feeling of not knowing. I discovered a newfound power in how much I didn’t know. I didn’t know a field called the “History of Science” even existed. I now find myself a graduate of the Department. In my freshman year of college, for the first time in my life, I was taught by a professor of color. A Historian of Science who made clear to me that history is just as much about the stories we don’t know as the stories we do.

In the History of Science, we often look for what is missing. What documents are not in the archives and whose voices are not captured in history? I’ve learned silence is rarely empty, often loud. What we don’t know can sometimes tell the most powerful story.

I learned this not only in the classroom, but also from the Class of 2024. In reflecting on our collective journey at Harvard, I’ve learned it's often the moments of uncertainty from which something greater than we could have ever imagined grows. Our class has experienced more than our fair share of the unknown.

Our first year, during COVID, we didn’t have Annenberg to meet 100 people in an hour and walk out remembering 5 names. We didn’t know what starting Harvard in the middle of a global pandemic would be like. So what did we do?Jefe’s became the new Annenberg, and we learned, in the midst of uncertainty, to connect differently, building quality over quantity in our friendships. In our sophomore year, Roe v. Wade was overturned and there was and still is, in many parts of the country, an omnipresent uncertainty in accessing reproductive healthcare. In our junior year, Harvard faced the Supreme Court and the decision to reverse affirmative action. Whether we realize it or not, we have been swimming in uncharted waters.

Which brings me to our senior year, a year on campus that has been marked by enormous uncertainty. In the fall, my name and identity alongside other black and brown students at Harvard was publically targeted. For many of us, students of color, doxxing left our jobs uncertain, our safety uncertain, our well-being uncertain.

Now, we are in a moment of intense division and disagreement in our community over the events in Gaza. I see pain, uncertainty, and unrest across campus. It’s now, in a moment like this, that the power of “not knowing” becomes critical.

Maybe we don’t know what it’s like to be ethnically targeted. Maybe we don’t know what it's like to come face to face with violence and death. But, we don’t have to know.

Solidarity is not dependent on what we know, because “not knowing” is an ethical stance. It creates space for empathy, solidarity, and a willingness to listen.

I don’t know – so I ask. I listen. I believe an important type of learning takes place, especially in moments of uncertainty, when we lean into conversations without assuming we have all the answers. Can we see humanity in people we don’t know? Can we feel the pain of people with whom we disagree?

As we graduate, what we know , our material knowledge, may not matter so much anymore. The truth is, it’s what we don’t know and how we navigate it that will set us apart moving forward.

Uncertainty is uncomfortable. But I encourage you to dive into the deep end of discomfort, and as you do, bring with you a Beginner’s mind, an ethic of not knowing.

As Emily Dickinson had said, “Not knowing when the Dawn will come, I open every Door.”

Thank you, and Congratulations Class of 2024!

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Best 50+ Graduation Messages to Inspire and Celebrate Success

Graduation is an important life event that deserves graduation messages saying, "Congratulations, Graduate!" Because finding the proper words may be difficult, Personal Chic has compiled over 50 examples of personalised graduation card messages for your daughter, son, or other recipients. 

Top 50+ Graduation Messages For Your Loved Ones

Who you are and your relationship with the graduate greatly affect how you express your graduation message. In this collection, Personal Chic provides tailored congratulations message for graduation ideas for each type of recipient, helping you find the most suitable words. Heartfelt congrats message for graduation can also make for ideas for gift for graduation .

Message For Friends Graduation

As we gather to commemorate this historic milestone, we must reflect on the path that led us here in the graduation message. Here's a world of emotional graduation card messages for friends, whose steadfast support has made this accomplishment even more memorable.

• To my great buddy, when you take the stage of achievement, remember how our late-night study sessions blossomed into laugh-filled memories. Cheers to your successes and the countless adventures that await you!
• From freshman anxieties to senior victories, watching your path has been nothing short of inspirational. Here's to the numerous moments created and the endless possibilities ahead. Congratulations on graduating!
• To the buddy who transformed every struggle into a success and every lesson into an adventure, your graduation signals the start of a remarkable journey. Keep shining brightly and pursuing your ambitions!
• Every time spent with you, from dorm room conversations to surviving exams together, has been a gift. As you graduate, remember the laughter, tears, and the great friendship we have.
• As you put on your cap and gown, take a time to reflect on the remarkable path that led you here. From studying for examinations to celebrating successes, your effort has paid off. Congratulations, Graduate!

A helpful tip when creating graduation messages for a friend is to infuse it with personal touches and memories that are unique to your friendship. To make the graduation message feel real, you should reflect on shared experiences, inside jokes, and moments of growth you've witnessed in each other.

• To my partner in crime and fellow graduate, our transition from students to friends has been nothing short of miraculous. Here's to the memories we've created and the bright horizons ahead. Congratulations!
• Your drive and resilience have been unwavering from the first day of orientation and continue to this day of graduation. May your future shine as brightly as your smile. Congratulations on your fantastic success!
• My dearest buddy, when you walk across the stage, remember the late-night pizza trips and pep chats that got us through it all. Your graduation demonstrates your strength and commitment. Congratulations!
• From dorm room discussions to celebrating milestones, our relationship has grown with your academic path. I am really proud of you when you graduate. Cheers to you and the memories we have created!
• As you exchange textbooks for fresh beginnings, recall the friendships you made and the experiences you treasure. Your degree reflects your hard work and effort. Congratulations on your fantastic success!
• From the anxieties on orientation day to this glorious moment, your road to graduation has been nothing short of remarkable. Here's to the moments we've made and the limitless possibilities that await you. Congratulations!
• To my partner in crime and fellow graduate, our transition from students to friends has been nothing short of remarkable. Here's to the memories we've created and the exciting experiences to come. Congratulations!
• As you begin this new chapter, recall the late-night study sessions and laughter-filled times that marked our relationship. Your degree reflects your hard work and effort. Congratulations!

Message To Daughter For Graduation

Recognising your daughter's journey through graduation card messages and your heartfelt gift ideas for her is a joyful and contemplative experience for parents. It's time to celebrate her accomplishments, perseverance, and the bright future ahead. In this part, we give emotional graduation ceremony message for your daughters ideas to celebrate this milestone and express your joy and love for her. You have diverse choices for short sweet graduation messages for daughters here:

• Darling daughter, when you go over the stage, remember that your adventure has only just started. From your first steps until your graduation, every moment has shown your strength and tenacity. Accept the adventure ahead!
• To my wonderful daughter, tonight is the result of years of hard work and commitment. From your insatiable curiosity as a youngster to your current academic accomplishments, your potential is limitless. Congratulations on reaching this incredible milestone!
• Sweetheart, when you stand on the verge of fresh beginnings, recall the numerous bedtime tales we told and the dreams we fostered together. Your graduation is a reflection of your perseverance and the affection that surrounds you.
• My daughter, whose laughter fills our house with delight and whose resolve inspires us every day, your graduation demonstrates your strength and endurance. May you always pursue your ambitions courageously!

When crafting graduation messages for your daughter, be sure to convey your pride in her accomplishments and the remarkable person she has grown into. Express your deep love and admiration in your graduation message, highlighting her distinctive qualities and strengths.

• From your first bike ride until this historic day, your path has been filled with unforgettable experiences and milestones. As you graduate, remember that the world is your oyster, and we are here to support you every step of the way!
• From your first day of school until this special day, your path to graduation has been full of memories and milestones. Your perseverance, dedication, and steadfast spirit have inspired us all. Congratulations, and may your future be full with unlimited opportunities!
• Sweetheart, when you graduate, remember that every difficulty and triumph you've overcome has prepared you for this moment. Your journey has been a remarkable demonstration of your strength, tenacity, and steadfast spirit. Congratulations, and I hope your future is as bright as your grin!
• My beautiful daughter, as you approach a fresh beginning, remember the love, support, and encouragement that surrounds you. Your graduation demonstrates your strength, resilience, and steadfast drive. Congratulations, and may your future shine as brightly as your spirit!

Graduation Messages For Son 

Graduating from school is an important milestone to celebrate as your kid begins a new chapter in his life. This part, "graduation message for son”, is a loving homage to his accomplishments, providing words of wisdom, inspiration, and pride as he embarks on the next chapter of his journey. Here are some inspirations for short sweet graduation messages for sons: 

• As you embark on the new chapter, recall the backyard scientific projects and bedtime tales that piqued your interest. We are tremendously proud. Congratulations on graduating!
• From your first unsteady steps to your confident walk across the graduation stage, we've seen you grow with pride. Your experience demonstrates your strength and the continuous support of your family. Congratulations!
• Son, your graduation is a proud moment for us. Every experience, from family vacations to quiet moments of encouragement, has helped form the extraordinary person you are now. Here is to your bright future!
• Son, as you begin this exciting new chapter, recall the family road vacations and weekend experiences that enrich your upbringing. Your graduation demonstrates your persistence and our endless affection. Congratulations!
• To our kid, whose joy warmed our house and whose resolve encouraged us all. Your graduation reflects the love, wisdom, and many family memories that have moulded you. Congratulations!

In your congratulations message for graduation for son, it’s better to wrap up with a tone of optimism for his future. Your congratulations graduation messages for your son should encourage him to dream big, set ambitious goals, and approach the journey ahead with unwavering confidence and determination. And don’t forget some gift ideas for men that can really inspire him!

• From bedtime tales to college applications, every experience has prepared you for this milestone. Your graduation is more than simply a personal triumph; it also demonstrates your family's everlasting support. Congratulations, son.
• Son, when you graduate, remember the family meals and sincere chats that helped shape your ambitions. Your experience demonstrates your strength as well as your family's unending love. Congratulations on your fantastic success!
• Son, when you graduate, remember the family picnics and holiday traditions that have brought us joy and laughter. Your success is a result of your perseverance and our constant support. Congratulations!
• To our remarkable kid, whose trip to graduation has been full of love, laughter, and treasured family memories. Your accomplishments reflect your tenacity and your family's continuous support. Congratulations!
• Son, as you begin on this exciting new chapter, remember the family game evenings and Sunday breakfasts that influenced your life. Your graduation reflects your dedication and our unending love. Congratulations!
• From your first day of school to this great accomplishment, we have been filled with pride. Your graduation demonstrates your tenacity and the unwavering support of your family. Congratulations, son.
• Son, your graduation is more than simply a personal milestone; it's a celebration of the love, laughter, and many family experiences that have moulded you. Congratulations on your fantastic success! We are really proud of you.

Related collections

Personalised graduation gifts for her, personalised graduation mugs, personalised graduation gifts for him, personalised graduation cushions, personalised graduation gifts, top unique graduation gifts to celebrate this special milestone.

In addition to the graduation messages, this milestone truly wouldn't feel complete without a keepsake. An overwhelming 74% of respondents expressed a preference for receiving personalised gifts for significant life events or milestones - Shutterfly’s survey. It's for this reason that Personal Chic has curated a selection of the finest personalised gifts for graduation specifically tailored for the new graduate, just below.

According to another survey by CafePress, 73% of respondents expressed excitement at the prospect of receiving personalised clothing as a gift for a significant life event. Undoubtedly, personalised apparel designed with a graduation message makes for the perfect personalised gift . 

• Personalised Proud Mom Of A Graduate T-Shirt

A Congrats Message For Graduation On Custom Tee Shop Now

• Personalised I'm Finally Done T-Shirts

Funny Graduation T-Shirts For New Grads Shop Now

With Personal Chic's range of personalised t-shirts , you can select your favourite graduate design and then customise it to your heart's content, from changing names to adding special graduation messages and even designing the character illustration.

• Personalised Can I Go Back To My Bed T-Shirt

Funny Messages Printed On Graduation T-Shirts Shop Now  

• Personalised She Believed She Could T-Shirt

T-Shirt For New Grads With Graduation Messages Shop Now  

In addition to the ring-spun cotton t-shirts designed for both cool and hot weather, Personal Chic also provides graduation cold apparel suitable for colder climates. These items ensure your gifts can be used year round.

• Personalised Proud Mom Of A Graduate Sweatshirt

Personalised T-Shirts For New Grads From Parents Shop Now

• Personalised I'm Finally Done Hoodies

Custom Graduation Hoodies With Funny Text Shop Now

Crafted from a blend of 50% preshrunk cotton and 50% polyester, our sweatshirts and hoodies personalised with a graduation ceremony message offer a durable fabric that can endure frequent wear and washing. Furthermore, they are resistant to fading and colour bleeding, ensuring longevity and continued vibrancy.

• Personalised Proud Dad Of A Graduate Hoodies

Customisable Graduation Hoodies For New Grads From Parents Shop Now

• Personalised Can I Go To Bed Now Hoodies

Personalised Hoodies Printed With Congratulations Message For Graduation Shop Now

There’s a fact that practical and useful items, such as drinkware, tend to be more appreciated and remembered by employees because they can be used regularly in the workplace (Journal of Advertising Research). Additionally, drinkware items are cheap customised gifts that carry deep meaning.

As new graduates embark on their journey into the professional world, personalised drinkware printed with graduation messages serves as both a practical and meaningful keepsake, symbolising their readiness to dive into this new chapter of their lives.

• Personalised All Your Memories Tumbler

Custom Graduation Tumbler For New Grad With Messages Shop Now

• Personalised The Tassel Was Worth The Hassle Mug

Personalised Graduation Mugs With Printed Text Shop Now

Personal Chic is dedicated to selecting the highest quality materials for our drinkware printed with a congrats message for graduation collection. Stainless steel is chosen for tumblers, ensuring durability and resistance to denting, while ceramic is selected for customisable mugs , providing a sturdy construction that minimises chipping. Rest assured, these items are crafted with durability in mind, promising long-lasting enjoyment for the recipient.

• Personalised I'm Done Finally Mug

Custom Mugs Printed With A Funny Graduation Ceremony Message Shop Now

These custom cups printed with graduation messages from Personal Chic are not only durable but also microwave and dishwasher safe, making them perfectly suited for the office environment without the graduation message fading. With a generous capacity of 325ml, they provide ample space for beverages to keep the new graduates hydrated throughout their workday, whether during office hours or break times.

Custom Ceramic Mugs For Graduation With Funny Design Shop Now

The graduation pillow designed with a congratulations message for graduation has proven to be a popular choice, with over 3400 units sold last year alone. Crafted from satin, it offers the ultimate softness, making these pillows sentimental custom gifts for the new grad. With prints on both sides, recipients can enjoy the personalised designs you create, featuring their names, graduation year, short sweet graduation messages and even a touch of humour.

• Personalised I'm Done Finally Pillow

Custom Graduation Pillow Printed With Illustration Shop Now

• Personalised Can I Go To Bed Now Pillow

Personalised Pillow For New Grads With Funny Illustration Shop Now

• Personalised I'm Finally Done Pillow

Custom Graduation Pillow With Funny Picture Shop Now

Besides the school degree, you can also give the new grad a personal certificate to show your acknowledgment. Personal Chic offers wall hanging art designs for graduation, which you can customise with characters, their majors, a graduation ceremony message and the time they began and completed their studies.

• Personalised BA Business Management Canvas

Customised Graduation Canvas With Majority Shop Now

• Personalised BA Business Management Poster

Personalised Poster For Graduation With Majority Shop Now

A heartfelt graduation message is the best gesture you can offer the new grad to share the joy and express your pride in their hardworking journey. With Personal Chic's list of graduation messages, you can find inspiration to create the perfect message for them.

• 1. Top 50+ Graduation Messages For Your Loved Ones
• 1.1. Message For Friends Graduation
• 1.2. Message To Daughter For Graduation
• 1.3. Graduation Messages For Son 
• 2. Top Unique Graduation Gifts To Celebrate This Special Milestone

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100 Graduation Quotes That Will Inspire You to Pursue Your Dreams

J oy, fear, excitement, anxiety, relief, stress, pride, and perhaps even a little surprise—graduating can inspire a host of different emotions. And that's just what the parents go through during the ceremony!

The graduates themselves may ride a similar rollercoaster, and it can be easy for everyone to feel like they are in uncharted waters. But the graduating class of 2022 is not the first to graduate into a challenging and exciting situation, nor will it be the last. Whether you are cheering on a new graduate or you are the grad yourself, reading graduation quotes can help you feel less alone.

These graduation quotes will bring laughter, inspiration, and motivation to achieve goals. They'll deliver wise advice and smart warnings, and help overcome fears about the future.

Funny graduation quotes

1. "You will never have more energy or enthusiasm, hair, or brain cells than you have today." —Tom Magliozzi

2. "So, what's it like in the real world? Well, the food is better, but beyond that, I don't recommend it." —Bill Watterson

3. "If they can make penicillin out of moldy bread, they can sure make something out of you." —Muhammad Ali

4. "If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in the dark with a mosquito." —Betty Reese

5. "Follow your passion, stay true to yourself, never follow someone else's path—unless you're in the woods and you're lost and you see a path, then by all means, you should follow that." —Ellen DeGeneres

6. "Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." —Winston Churchill

7. "To those of you who received honors, awards, and distinctions, I say well done. And to the C students, I say you too may one day be president of the United States." —George W. Bush

8. "Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there." — Will Rogers

9. "My dear terrified graduates, you are about to enter the most uncertain and thrilling period of your lives." —Lin-Manuel Miranda

10. "The unfortunate, yet truly exciting, thing about your life is that there is no core curriculum. The entire place is an elective." —Jon Stewart

11. "Every year, many, many stupid people graduate from college. And if they can do it, so can you." —John Green

12. "You are graduating from college. That means that this is the first day of the last day of your life. No, that's wrong. This is the last day of the first day of school. Nope, that's worse. This is a day." —Andy Samberg

13. "Be wise, because the world needs wisdom. If you cannot be wise, pretend to be someone who is wise, and then just behave like they would." —Neil Gaiman

14. "Commencement speeches were invented largely in the belief that outgoing college students should never be released into the world until they have been properly sedated." —Gary Trudeau

15. "At graduation you get to wear a cap and gown, but it's a good idea to also wear something underneath it." —Greg Tamblyn

Inspirational graduation quotes

16. "The fireworks begin today. Each diploma is a lighted match. Each one of you is a fuse." —Edward Koch

17. "Cynicism has never won a war, or cured a disease, or started a business, or fed a young mind, or sent men into space. Cynicism is a choice. Hope is a better choice." —Barack Obama

18. "That clock you hear is the sound of your own heart. Sink your teeth into this life, and don't get let go." —Lin-Manuel Miranda

19. "Nothing is impossible. The word itself says 'I'm possible.'" —Audrey Hepburn

20. "How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." —Anne Frank

21. "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." —Eleanor Roosevelt

22. "I encourage you to live with life. Be courageous, adventurous. Give us a tomorrow, more than we deserve." —Maya Angelou

23. "Don't be afraid. Be focused. Be determined. Be hopeful. Be empowered." —Michelle Obama

24. "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." —Dr. Seuss

25. "So long as your desire to explore is greater than your desire to not screw up, you're on the right track." —Ed Helms

26. "If I must give any of you advice it would be to say yes. Say yes, and create your own destiny." —Maya Rudolph

27. "There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind." — C.S. Lewis

28. "Life is my college. May I graduate well and earn some honors!" —Louisa May Alcott

29. "Remember this: You are awesome. I'm not suggesting you be boastful, but I am suggesting that believing in yourself is the first necessary step to coming even close to achieving your potential." —Sheryl Sandberg

30. "The meaning of life is to find your gift, the purpose of life is to give it away." —Joy J. Golliver

31. "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." —Dr. Seuss

32. "What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us." — Ralph Waldo Emerson

33. "Always remember you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think, and loved more than you know." —Winnie the Pooh

College graduation quotes

34. "I couldn't wait for success. I went ahead without it." —Jonathan Winters

35. "You cannot dream of becoming something you do not know about. You have to learn to dream big. Education exposes you to what the world has to offer, to the possibilities open to you." —Sonia Sotomayor

36. "Your imagination is your preview of life's coming attractions." —Albert Einstein

37. "There will be times when your best isn't good enough. There can be many reasons for this, but as long as you give your best you'll be OK." —Robert De Niro

38. "If at first you don't succeed, find out if the loser gets anything." —William Lyon Phelps

39. "The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it." —Steve Jobs

40. "The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary." —Vidal Sassoon

41. "You miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take." —Wayne Gretzky

42. "You will stumble and fall, you will experience both disaster and triumph, sometimes in the same day. But it's really important to remember that like a hangover, neither triumphs nor disasters last forever." — Helen Mirren

Nothing lasts forever. Repeat as many times as it takes to believe it, and read these life is short quotes .

43. "You can't climb the ladder of success with your hands in your pockets." — Arnold Schwarzenegger

44. "If we'd all stuck with our first dream, the world would be overrun with cowboys and princesses. So whatever your dream is right now, if you don't achieve it, you haven't failed and you're not some loser." — Stephen Colbert

45. "Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try." — John F. Kennedy

46. "Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful." — Albert Schweitzer

47. "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." —Mahatma Gandhi

48. "Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the hearts of men." —Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

49. "Patience! The windmill never strays in search of the wind." —Andy J. Sklivis

Setting big goals can feel more exciting and produce greater results. Use these "dream big" quotes to get inspired.

High school graduation quotes

50. "I have never let my schooling interfere with my education." —Mark Twain

51. "The Lord gave us two ends: One to sit on, and the other to think with. Success depends on which one we use the most." —Ann Landers

52. "Empathy has gotten me so much farther in not only my life but in my career." — Ryan Reynolds

53. "Get busy living, or get busy dying." —Stephen King

54. "Your inexperience is an asset in that it will make you think in original, unconventional ways. Accept your lack of knowledge, and use it as your asset." —Natalie Portman

55. "Understand that one day you will have the power to make a difference, so use it well." —Mindy Kaling

56. "You must have some vision for your life. Even if you don't know the plan, you have to have a direction in which you choose to go." — Oprah

57. "You will find the key to success under the alarm clock." — Benjamin Franklin

58. "It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are." — E. E. Cummings

Need a little more motivation? These empowering strength quotes will give you courage and confidence .

59. "Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough." — Oprah

Learning to be grateful for what you have is one of the most important adulting skills you can develop.

60. "Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can." —Arthur Ashe

61. "Opportunity dances with those who are already on the dance floor." —Jackson Browne

62. "Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better." —Maya Angelou

63. "If you want something you've never had, you must be willing to do something you've never done." — Thomas Jefferson

64. "The best way to predict your future is to create it." —Abraham Lincoln

65. "Every person you meet knows something you don't—learn from them." —H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

66. "How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and the strong. Because someday in life you will have been all of these." — George Washington Carver

67. "If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way." — James Freeman Clarke

68. "Keep your face toward the sunshine, and shadows will always fall behind you." — Walt Whitman

69. "Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you." — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Short graduation quotes

70. "It doesn't matter that your dream came true if you spent your whole life sleeping." — Jerry Zucker

71. "If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere." — Frank A. Clark

72. "Change takes courage." — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

73. "I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." — Michael Jordan

74. "It's hard to beat a person who never gives up." — Babe Ruth

75. "We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey." —Kenji Miyazawa

76. "I have learned over the years that when one's mind is made up, this diminishes fear." — Rosa Parks

77. "You don't have to be fearless, just don't let the fear stop you." — Charlie Day

78. "May your choices reflect your hopes not your fears." — Nelson Mandela

79. "Worry is like a rocking chair—it gives you something to do but never gets you anywhere." — Erma Bombeck

80. "The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking spaces." — Will Roger s

81. "The bad news is time flies. The good news is you're the pilot." — Michael Altschuler

82. "Effort and courage are not enough without purpose and direction." — John F. Kennedy

83. "You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it." — Margaret Thatcher

84. "The future is not an inheritance, it is an opportunity and an obligation." — Bill Clinton

85. "Life has no remote. Get up and change it yourself." — Mark A. Cooper

86. "Graduates, we need you to save the world." — Pierce Brosnan

87. "Your schooling may be over, but remember that your education still continues." — Unknown

88. "Be allergic to failure and addicted to success." — Daniel Roberts

89. "Great things are done by a series of small things brought together." — Vincent Van Gogh

90. "You may never know what results come of your action, but if you do nothing there will be no result." — Mahatma Ghandi

91. "I make my weaknesses my strengths and my strengths stronger." — Lisa Fernandez

92. "When someone does something good, applaud! You will make two people happy." — Samuel Goldwyn

93. "Curiosity is the key to creativity." — Akio Morita

94. "Education is the ability to meet life's situations." — Dr. John G. Hibben

95. "Don't underestimate the power of your dreams." — Corinna Kong

96. "If you can believe it, the mind can achieve it." — Ronnie Lott

97. "Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else." — Judy Garland

98. "Education is something we have to keep pursuing day after day." — Premier Brian Gallant

99. "We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right." — Nelson Mandela

100. "Set your goals, take the action, live your dreams." — Catherine Pulsifer

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