The Valedictorian Speech I Never Got To Give

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I graduated from high school on 29th August 2019. It was a strange feeling attending the ceremony, the realization that this was the final official stage to be completed before we were certified adults overwhelmed me. 

When I was younger, I used to perform at these graduation ceremonies and I always thought that I would be the class valedictorian of my batch. I worked hard, always tried to maintain good grades while involving myself in extracurricular activities, but in the end, I didn't make the cut. I was not upset or jealous of the ones who got selected - they deserved it and I was genuinely happy for them. It takes a lot of courage to be happy for people who received what you always wanted for yourself. However, I am proud to admit that I am a brave individual. 
I had these words building inside me for a long time, and when I did not get selected to be a valedictorian, I decided that I would just write them up and hopefully relieve myself of some unresolved feelings.  
'It is absolutely surreal to be standing here, at our graduation ceremony. After spending more than half of our lives in this school, it will not be easy to say goodbye.

 Today, we are not only bidding farewell to the halls and corridors and classrooms, but also to the teachers and sisters who built us up to be the people we are today, and our classmates, who have been at our sides throughout this whole journey. Thank you to the teachers for bearing us with patience, kindness and wisdom. You taught us to be compassionate and you taught us to be fearless while pursuing our dreams. Thank you to all of my classmates for being so sincere and accepting. Seeing the people you have become now fills me with pride and I consider myself extremely lucky to be able to grow up with all of you. I will always cherish the memories that we made in this home away from home. 

I would like to thank my parents and my brother who have always supported me and have sacrificed so much for my happiness and my education. I do not deserve you, and I promise to make you proud one day.
My fellow graduates, as we step into the next stage of our lives, we have to remember that life will not always be fair. We will get beaten down, rejected and our hearts will get broken, but the important thing is that we do not give up. It is one of the most cliched things to say, but it is also the most honest pieces of advice you will ever receive. There will be times when giving up seems like the only viable option, and that is when you have to give yourself a new one. Even with the most meticulous planning, things may not go your way. I might be one of the biggest examples for this. I applied to fifteen universities in the USA this year, and I got rejected by nine of them, and the six institutions which did accept me could not provide me with enough financial aid. Therefore, I could not accept any of their offers and thus, all of my plans got turned upside down. I was crushed; the past few months have been very difficult for me and it was hard to accept that all of my efforts had gone to waste. But I decided to make a new path for myself. I am currently on a gap year and I actively sought out opportunities to increase my work experience and pursue things I am passionate about. So, it goes without saying that when things don’t go your way, there is absolutely no reason to give up. Carry on valiantly, no matter the obstacles in your path. 
In five years time, we could be getting ready for our first day at work, or some of us might be getting coffee before your morning class and yet some might be hitting the snooze button for an extra five minutes of sleep, ( I am definitely the third one). None of us can fully predict where or what they will be doing in five years, and that is the beauty of uncertainty. It gives us fluidity in our actions  and allows us to explore hidden opportunities to build ourselves to be better people. No matter where we are, all of you will always be in my heart. I wish you well, my friends. Godspeed.'     
       
    

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