Graduation Speech - Original Writing

Nine years ago, I never could have imagined I’d be writing this essay. I was a senior in high school, and, like the rest of my classmates, I was apprehensive about the future. Unlike my classmates, I felt like I had missed the proverbial “you need to get your life together” message. I watched my classmates apply to colleges, their majors already decided and their future careers mapped out. While I was an above average student, I felt I lacked the decisiveness my classmates seemed to have. I did not feel passionate about a career or even a field of study. I felt defective. This was compounded by the financial strain I knew attending college would have on my family. It seemed wasteful to try to “find my passion” at school while squandering

Our slight age difference placed us in school one year apart but that wouldn't make a spit of difference because, although we almost lived next door to each other, we never spent a single day in the same school. I went to public schools that burst at the seams with the baby boom and became a certified loner who worked unsuccessfully to fit into the social fabric of nine schools in twelve years. Steve's school experience was very different. He went to an Adventist school for twelve years with the same kids, all of whom lived across

I walked over to where me, and Frank sat he was picking at some tape on the desk impatiently. "Hey." I sat down, he smiled, "Hey Gee!" Frank smiled, "Can 't wait for music!" He said excitedly, I chuckled. His favorite class was music, which we had after gym. I only have three classes with Frank, but I have all my classes with Ray. He can be a bitch, but he 's a bitch who 's my best friend.

I had recently lost my job and was enjoying the extra time with my young son. I had always volunteered in his classrooms when I could, but time in the classroom was limited due to the job. He was going into second grade and I instantly liked his teacher when I met her. I told her I would love to volunteer in her classroom whenever she wanted me and within a few weeks I became a regular in the class. I helped the second graders with their math, reading, writing, and social skills. I found that being in the classroom with those kids was something I enjoyed tremendously. That teacher must have seen a spark in me as well because she planted the seed for me to go into teaching. She has been my biggest influence for the type of teacher I wanted to be. She was calm, patient, loving, caring, a friend, and the biggest support and cheerleader for all of her students. I learned so much about teaching and myself while volunteering in her classroom that year. I discovered that I wanted to be a teacher while I watched her teach. But, most of all, I wanted to be just like her when I did it. I wanted to be a teacher who started every lesson with love and a passion that only someone who truly cherished their job could have.

Every time I go out on a stage I look at the small piece of paper in my music folder, one with hand written words that now hold so much meaning to me. I think all the way back to the first time I sang in front of an audience and of the complete and utter disaster that it was. However, I also think of how far I have come. It all started in fourth grade when my school had their annual school talent show. I had sang in the church choir with a group of around twenty other kids, but this was different. I had practiced my song multiple times over, and had asked my friend to play the piano while I sang. The day I walked into the school will never leave my memory. It was so tense you could taste the anticipation in the air. I walked in and sat in my seat where I memorized the student I would come up after. Time seemed to speed up impossibly fast, and the next moment I was being called onto the stage. The only sound I could hear was the pound of my heart, and my friend fuzzily asking in the background, “Do you want to go a cappella when I turn the pages?” I nodded agreeably because I did not want her to know I did not know what the word meant. Now I know it’s meaning is “without instrumental music” ("A Cappella."). Too soon, we were standing on the stage, and I had started to sing the song. I thought everything was going well until it came time for her to turn the page and she stopped playing. I waited patiently as she waited for me to sing. We were both waiting, and the only sound

The morning was as clear as glass. The sun shined through my window, waking me up from my sleep. The air tasted like water, as if I was tasting the Earth. I sat up to put on my slippers and walked to the bathroom. I brushed my teeth, washed my face, and dressed to get ready for summer school today. I recently started, so I don’t especially know my way around. At the same time, I never wanted to go to summer school, but my teacher said it is mandatory to go, or I will get held back from grade level. Now that I finished getting ready, I walked out from the bathroom to the kitchen.

When I first came to Florida, it was during the summer of 2009. We were so excited because my parents and kids just arrived from the Philippines and we were set for a 600 mile journey to the happiest place on earth. During the entire trip, apart from the joy brought about by the entire Disney characters, I truly fell in love with the place. It reminded me so much about home, which was 10,000 miles away. I dreaded leaving the place for a week, but I gloomily head back to Baltimore, a charming city but nothing short of Florida.

Ever since I was a little girl my grades have been phenomenal. They used to take me into the principles office because they would swear that I would cheat on almost all my assignments and test. I will never forget the biggest struggle that I had to go through in primary school and that was when I skipped a grade.

I was walking to school, like usually because I missed the bus again. My house was only four blocks away and it was a rainy day and a cold one too. When I finally made it to school everyone was already going to their classes .

My mom has kept everything in the house the way it was before. It has the same furniture and the same pictures on the wall. It’s minimal with a nice brown couch and a wooden coffee table across the fireplace. He had some pictures he bought years ago organized neatly in their own individual spaces. Everything is here except the empty coffee mugs, randomly opened books, his ashtray, and the classic music he loved to fill his home with.

When I was younger, I wasn’t sure which career I wanted to pursue after leaving school, but I was certain that it needed to be something that was hands on as my favourite subjects had always been the ones where I could use my hands, such as art, metalwork and woodwork. I remember one project I was particularly proud of was a square coffee table made from walnut that I built in my woodworking class, I was given a brief with the dimensions and left to design and build it myself.

It does not matter how slow you go as long as you do not stop. -Confucius

My mom drops me off in front of the large store, “good luck Sarah you will do great! See you at 6” she says as I quickly jump out of the car. I walk up the automatic door with butterflies in my stomach while repeating to myself, “don 't worry you 'll be fine” over and over again in hopes if I say it enough it 'll become true. The automatic doors open with one swift motion I then walk towards a second set of automatic door. When these doors open I am greeted with a gust of nice cold air and the constant sound of beep beep, shopping carts wheeling around, the sound of cash registers opening, receipts printing off, and bustling people. I freeze trying to figure out where to go in this large store but before I can start to panic I am greeted by a small masculine looking women in her mid 20s with an extremely laid back attitude. “Here” she says as she tosses me a navy blue polyester smock with the words “Crosby’s Marketplace” embroidered on the pocket and a cross tie.

I was walking to school, like usually because i missed the bus again. My house was only four blocks away and it was a rainy day and a cold one too. When i finally made it to school everyone was already going to there classes .

In the back seat, intently listening to the words coming through the speakers, what is this I hear? Something so soulful, full of emotion, and life, it 's as if I entered into another dimension, floating on a cloud of serenity. This feeling abruptly ended with a goodbye kiss as I prepare to enter the school building. I was enjoying my early morning schedule, learning about simple mathematics, how to get along with my peers, playing at recess, but I couldn 't wait to get lost again, leave the earthly realm with this wonderful sound of instruments and voices, ever so quietly coming through my mother’s car speakers. The final bell rings, my heart throbs with joy, I get to ride home.