If you are reading this article, then chances are you are one of those brainy types who actually made it through high school with a 4.0 grade average and have been called upon as valedictorian or salutatorian to give a speech at your graduation ceremony. Lucky you! You have obviously taken your education seriously and excelled in learning. Hopefully the last 4 years will have prepared you for the task at hand, that being standing in front of your fellow classmates, to offer some parting remarks as you all embark on the next phase of your lives. It’s a weighty responsibility, but also an honor. You want to send your graduating class off into the world with a rousing speech, full of wit and reflection, right? Which is really the reason you are frantically scanning the internet, searching for nuggets of wisdom…because you want to sound as educated as your grades say you are in front of your peers. It can be a rough world out there and it could be even rougher if your commencement speech is a snoozer, so let’s get you off on the right foot, shall we?
Take a deep breath and read on…help has arrived in the form of a list. Below is a compilation of memorable graduation quotes to peruse for use in your graduation speech. Each has been chosen for its relevant and reflective qualities as relating to your high school commencement. No need to thank me now, wait until you get some graduation money and then you can thank me properly. Now onto the list:
1. Life is not divided into semesters. You don’t get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you find yourself.” Bill Gates quotes (AmericanEntrepreneur and Founder of Microsoft Co., b.1955)We sometimes have a narrow view of the world, based on our experiences in the hallways of our high schools. As a graduate, it’s good to listen and talk to people who have to make their way in the world day in and day out. Get a good idea of what you are facing so you can prepare for what lies ahead! And seeing as how Bill Gates is a gazillionaire and employs thousands of people, he probably has a pretty good take on how life works.
2. 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, quotes.miraclesalad.com
Graduation is a time to truly reflect on who you are, what you’ve become, how you feel about the world around you. High School offers us a chance to begin this process and some of us actually get lucky and figure it out before we graduate. Not all us really know who we are or we are afraid, for whatever reason, to be ourselves in front of others. As you go forward, you need to be comfortable with who you are in order to find your place in the world. And we all learn eventually that those who truly care about us will allow us to be ourselves without judgment. They will in fact, encourage it. And if Dr. Suess said it, it must be true!
3. Nobody gets to live life backward. Look ahead, that is where your future lies. ~ Ann Landers, Creators Syndicate
Certainly a lady who writes advice columns for a living knows a little bit about life. As you leave high school, do not worry or grieve over leaving behind the life you have had, do not waste precious time wishing you could do it over differently. Face the future with the resolve that you will be more aware of your actions and make the most of every choice you make. The future offers a blank page for you to chart your own course. Embrace the past, be grateful for it, learn from it and move on!
4. For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin–real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life. ~ Alfred D. Souza, www.worldof quotes.com
You are about to begin real life!! There will be obstacles, there will be days when you wonder why you were so excited to leave high school. This quote is a great reminder that everything we face in our daily lives makes us who we are, good or bad. So embrace your trials, you triumphs. They are all part of you!
5. It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are. ~ e.e. cummings, www.livinglifefully.com
This is one of the best quotes a graduating senior can hear. You are leaving behind what society deems “youth” and moving into adulthood. It really does take courage to face yourself and to decide who you are and who you want to be. This is a great time to do some serious reflecting, so that you can make choices that will set you on the right path to becoming who you decide you want to be.
6. The grass is not, in fact, always greener on the other side of the fence. Fences have nothing to do with it. The grass is greenest where it is watered. When crossing over fences, carry water with you and tend the grass wherever you may be. ~ Robert Fulghum, It Was on Fire When I Lay Down on It
We all dream of the time we will be done with high school and can move on to the “greener pastures” of college, where we will be treated like adults and have fewer constraints and more choices. Few of us realize that whatever lies ahead is not going to be any easier than what we have just left, just different. And it doesn’t matter which direction we go, or in which field we end up, it won’t stay green if we don’t do our part to nurture it.
7. I believe in the principle that I can make a difference in this world. It may be ever so small, but it will count for the greater good. ~ Gordon B. Hinckley, “I Believe”, Ensign, August 1992
The myth exists today that it’s easy to get discovered, become famous and make millions of dollars. It’s easy for a young person just stepping out into the world to take the mindset that success means wealth and notoriety. Anyone who lives his life in a way that contributes positively to the general population is a success. When you contribute to the greater good, you help others have a desire to do the same, by following your example. What would the world be like if everyone had this mindset?
8. Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it. ~Buddha, www.brainyquote.com
This is the best challenge that could be offered to a graduating senior. Perfect advice from a timeless and wise source. What else is there to say?
9. Don’t live down to expectations. Go out there and do something remarkable. ~ Wendy Wasserstein, American Playwright, www.quotegarden.com
We come into this world under the care and tutelage of parents and teachers who know so much about us that they sometimes have their own ideas about who we should be. They want what’s best for us because they love us and want us to be successful. While some expectations are good, it is important for a graduate to follow their own dreams and create a life that they will truly be happy with, regardless of what well-meaning friends and family may think. Ultimately, it is your life to live…while it is good to listen to sound advice, don’t let someone else dictate how you live it!!
10. It’s not about how to achieve your dreams. It’s about how to lead your life. If you lead your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself. The dreams will come to you. ~ Randy Pausch, Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture, September 18, 2007
It is a universal law that we reap what we sow. When our everyday choices and actions reflect goodness, joy, kindness, compassion, intellect, etc., we invite those around us to elicit the same response or action. They feel good when they are around us and are more inclined to project good feeling toward others with whom they come in contact. Randy Pausch understands and lives this rule to the fullest, even as he is dying of cancer. Read his lecture and you will believe! The universe rewards us with what we put out there. Follow Randy’s counsel as you leave your high school hallways and you will have a full and happy life and find that every good thing you seek will find it’s way to you.
So…that’s it! Go forth with confidence and some great quotes and write your commencement speech! Remember – choose carefully what you will say. There will actually be a few people listening who might remember your words and try to build on them as they go out to face life head-on, armed with nothing but your speech. No pressure, though. Oh yeah…Congratulations and Happy Graduation!
