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gradspeech08.html
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<!DOCTYPE html>
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<title>Graduation Speech - Varun Sampath</title>
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<h1>Graduation Speech - June 13, 2008</h1>
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<p>
Good evening school board members, administrators, faculty, parents, family, and friends, and thank you for coming to our commencement ceremony. Congratulations to the class of 2008, we've finally made it, after going through twelve years of…interesting circumstances. In reality though, I suppose it wasn't that bad. Sure, we had our projects, our research papers, our roof collapsing…little stuff everybody goes through in the "educational process." But in the end, we are now graduating from what is quite possibly the shiniest school in western Pennsylvania, or in all of PA for that matter. Within these halls, and the halls that preceded it, live a good set of memories. We've had random stuff eaten off of floors, mad Scots charging across stages, hands lit on fire, eggs smashing into bits, fake passes all over hallways, you know, things every student goes through in that "educational process." We've had our share of losses too, from stuff stolen from the not-so-secure milk crates to teachers departing for greener pastures (often literally, from golf courses to farms). All of these memories, I would like to think, made us grow as human beings, and all of them, plus hard work and dedication from many groups, along with the paltry sum of 44 million bucks for this shiny place went into our getting this diploma.
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<p>
But what on earth to do next, after finally leaving high school and these memories behind? This part was the hardest for me to write. What can a short seventeen-year-old brown kid say to graduates to inspire them? I was about to plagiarize some good speeches to answer that question, but the proverbial "I have a dream" speech didn't fit very well. Instead, I pose this question to the graduates: why not do something that will make those sacrifices over the past twelve years seem more than worthwhile in comparison; something that will arouse the passion of your peers, your admirers, and your mentors; something that will make Richland proud that you were its future? Indubitably, achieving success is hard; lots of obstacles and competition impede the path. Success, however, provides happiness in a way nothing else can: not only do you feel it in every fiber of your being, but also it gives back to the society that pushed you to it. Strive for success in whatever career you choose, from running businesses to ruling the world (my personal favorite). Don't floccinaucinihilipilificate the gifts of our society (sorry, I was dared to use that word); instead, return the favor and allow the world to flourish in ways it could not without you. In the same vein, I thank my family, friends, and community; without them, I would not be standing here today, and I hope to return that favor to my fullest ability someday.
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Now I hope I've tackled everything I was supposed to in this thing, all the witty, inspirational, and intellectual stuff that I was told to do and probably failed doing, all of it over except for the quote, which I introduce as follows: despite his several federal offenses, R. Kelly did say something profound: "I believe I can fly." "I believe I can touch the sky, I think about it every nigh-" ok yes I realize I'm tone deaf. I ask you to listen to those lyrics (ignore the pitch), and shoot for the moon; because even if you miss, you'll land among the stars. Thanks literature classrooms for that last sentence. Thank you all.
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