To the administrators, teachers, parents, students, and the graduates, good afternoon.

It is my honor to give this speech to our graduates. I have read somewhere that graduation day is like looking into a kaleidoscope. It’s full of pictures jumbled together all of which together make up your life. There are the images of your growing years with your family and friends. Then there are the pictures of your student activities, the classmates you met and, finally, the wonderful excitement of today your graduation day.

I can still remember the very first day I met all of you in our chemistry class. You all looked very young. Some of you were very shy, some were already loud. I’m not saying Jerry and Frank were loud but some were loud. Just kidding. I witnessed your growth as the days passed. I’ve witnessed some of your bad days and some of your good days as well. We tested each others patience and we all learned from each other. I have always loved it when you asked questions. I felt proud when you gave a concise presentation and disappointed when you gave a mediocre performance because I knew that you can do better. You can do so much better. Also, just so you know, I knew all your tactics for cheating. It’s just that sometimes, I just let you because you amuse me of your creativity.

Today, we feel proud, knowing that we did our best to prepare you for the ups and downs of life. We may not show it to you but we are happy when we see you happy and we are  sad when you are sad. As much as we wanted to protect you from hardship and pain, we understand that you need to go through these things for you to learn and grow strong. We have always wanted you to be the best version of yourself. We are hopeful that one day you will understand that we did things not to make your lives difficult but it was all to prepare you for the realities of life.

As you spread your wings and test the waters, I would like to share with you few things that I have learned. First, be patient. Not everything will go your way and when that happens, there are 26 letters in an english alphabet, so you go for  plan b, c, d to z.  Second, be kind. It never hurts to be kind. Be kind to the people you will meet on your way up because it’s the same people you’ll meet on your way down. Third, love yourself. Don’t compare yourself to anybody. You are unique and you are you’re parents masterpiece. Fourth, be grateful. Be grateful for the good things that will happen to you and be grateful for the lessons each failure will teach you. Fifth, choose your battles. Not everything that will come your way needs your reaction. Sometimes, silence is the best answer. If it’s beyond your control then let it go. Sixth, everything is passing. Nothing is constant. When it’s a good day, then enjoy it as much as you can. When it’s a bad day then just breathe and let it pass.  And last and the most important is have fun. Be young. Explore and use all your capabilities and talents. Don’t put limitations to what you can do. Live each day like it’s your last.

We will all miss your voices and your everyday shenanigans. I wish I can say that it will be easier out there but I am confident that you can do it. Don’t forget to thank your parents for the unconditional love and support they have given you. I wish you all good fortune and the best of everything. See you around and congratulations everyone.