My Graduation Speech

Respect your elders.

This is one of the most important pieces of advice you are ever likely to receive. Your elders have lived longer than you; they are wiser and oftentimes smarter. You should be thankful if they ever impart some of their knowledge on you, and should act thusly; you do not want to drive them away.

Always keep your sense of humor; it can help ease some tension, and will make you seem more ‘real.’

Be the first to the field and the last to the couch. Laziness will get you nowhere.

Enjoy your childhood; once it’s gone, you can never get it back.

Don’t ever lose the inquisitive, curious, young child in you.

Never let anyone make you their doormat; stand up for yourself. No one else will.

Don’t settle for less than you deserve, but don’t be greedy.

Be nice to every one you know, even the ones ‘below’ you; you never know when the ones you govern will govern you.

Always ask questions, and don’t stop until you get answers.

Never go along with ideas you don’t believe in.

Be nice to your friends and family; once you lose them, you’ll have no one but yourself to guide you.

No matter how far along the path you are, you can always turn back.

Don’t procrastinate; the pain isn’t worth it.

Give help to those who want it and pray for those who don’t.

Never give up on anything in life.

Treat others the way you want to be treated.

Pick your battles; don’t argue for things that aren’t worth fighting for, but don’t keep silent about things that are. Fighting over the last cookie is ridiculous and not worth your energy. However, fighting for what you believe in, standing up against evil; these are times when ‘letting it go’ isn’t an option.

Let your feelings be heard.

A ‘Thank You’ can go a long way.

Take the first step in a friendship; don’t wait for the other person to do so.

Not everything that feels good is good for you; not everything that glitters is gold.

There is somebody out there for you; just keep looking.

Those who look away are just as guilty as those who commit the crime.

Life isn’t fair; you just have to work with it.

Always keep an open mind, but don’t believe everything you hear or see.

Don’t do something now that you’ll forget later.

Try your hardest, and don’t be afraid to fail.

Karma is a real part of life; your good deeds may seem unimportant, but they are important to the people you helped. They will not go unnoticed. But always remember that it is the same with evil deeds; what goes around comes around.

Nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it. In the past, people thought that it was impossible to fly; it could never happen. But along came the airplane, and all of a sudden, it was possible. Climbing Everest, swimming across the English Cannel; all were considered to be impossible. All have been accomplished.

Grandma’s kisses can work just as well as any pharmaceutical drug.

Your lost remote is always under the couch.

If you live your life right, you learn something new each day.

Don’t worry about the future; learn from the past.

Always plan ahead.

Laughter is the best medicine.

Forgive and forget, but learn all the while.

Always do your best; if your job is sweeping, make it spotless. You will be noticed.

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

Be well rounded; brains aren’t enough.

Don’t look for shortcuts; face life’s obstacles head on.

Love the sinner, hate the sin.

Dance like no one’s watching; enjoy yourself.

Leave time for relaxation and play.

A good book can be a great friend.

Books have no commercials.

When people work together, they can do great things. Many great monuments, such as the Great Wall of China and the Empire State Building, came about as a result of human cooperation.

Be creative.

And always remember to respect your elders.