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

I was dropped off at the school and I shook with excitement. “Good luck and do your best!” my mother shouted in her usual high and happy voice as she sped off in our small Honda. I walked into the school gym and

The ride to school was short, we didn't talk much, we don't have to, just the company of each other is enough for us, I walked into school with April by my side as we always did, and we prepared for hell.

As I was trying to find my textbooks, in the corner of my eye, I saw Aria, Emily and Hanna walk in all 'Prissy Perfect' kind of way. I don't think they think I noticed, but I saw Aria give me a glare before walking off to their seats in the back.

We didn’t get to see them that day because Matthew, Rachel, and Matthew’s mom Susan went to lafayette. All I know is that Rachel and Susan went to get their nails done for friday.

The bell rang as I rushed to class. I had never been late to class before, but my best friend Grace decided to leave her house early so I couldn't get a ride.

Cassidy and I are carpooling and her mom is picking up. I wait as I watch out the window. After five minutes I see her car turn on my road. I open the door and quickly lock it and step into her car and her mom leaves right after the door closes. There isn’t that much traffic so we get to Des Moines pretty quickly about ten minutes before practice starts. Once we get there Cassidy and I spring out of the car and run in. We sit for a long ten minutes until Roni calls for us all to circle up.

Soon, only five minutes were left in class and Kenny McCormick hadn’t bothered to show up. Ace thought nothing of it when they first got to class; it was normal for him to be late. It wasn’t usual for him to completely skip the class. He was here today, she at least knew that much. As usual, this morning Craig and her had picked him up. They also had to drive him home, so it wasn’t like him to just not tell him when he was leaving early. Ace hadn’t heard from him since second period, Algebra II. Just as she began to worry that something happened, the short teenager made a loud appearance.

I hopped into my car, which my parents had bought for me the previous summer. I was very excited for school because besides one test, my day was going to be very cavalier. I wasn’t going to let the test I had studied hard for nullify my confidence in myself and ruin my day. I was ready for it. The test was super easy, my studying had paid off.

After this long day it’s still not over yet, I am just half way through the day going into 5th period. As I walked in I see a girl I already met and I wanted to run and give her a hug, I was so excited to see someone I already knew. I didn’t have to worry where I was going to sit that period, or who I was going to talk to. I probably looked like the happiest person in the world with a big smile on my face. As I am smiling as I say, “hello, Claire right?” She says, “Yes!” We sit together, exchange social media usernames, and numbers. Later, I go to 6th period, my science class. When we come in the teacher says to talk with people to sit in alphabetical order. I am placed next to a kid named Dominic Thomas, and his buddy is sitting on the other side of me. They were acting like I didn’t exist, and getting in my personal space. Later, the teacher says, “The person sitting at your table will be your lab partner.” That’s when I found out Dominic Thomas will be my lab partner for the quarter. I did not know what was coming for me. Finally, 7th period here I come. Now this class was one crazy class, with some crazy people, but it was all good because I get to leave after this period. The bell rings and I am out of there.

By the time that Landon and I arrived to his mansion, the party had already started. Crazy, intoxicated teenagers were swaying their hips and doing every provocative move they could think of to the beat of the horrid, meaningless music.

I dreaded to go home. I couldn’t stand the sound of my parents voices arguing. It just didn’t seem right. The two people that I have known my whole life fighting. It just didn’t seem normal. All of these thoughts were rushing through my head just as the noisy school bus pulled up to my stop.

November 20th: a lovely cool-weather-ed day, without much worry or fear in the air; the day after my sister, who had been living at college, celebrated her birthday with us at her workplace. Overall, it was a wonderful day. It was nearing the winter holidays, after a long-needed break during the beginning of eighth grade. I was staying after school, playing in the Middle School ‘Jazz Band’, having a great time. Everything ended, and I packed my instrument away. Overall, the band was able to learn, and practice, many new pieces for the upcoming concert. I couldn’t wait to go home, relax, and do homework for the next school day! My grandfather picked me up in his white van, and started towards my house, not too far away from the middle school. We were about halfway to my house, when I noticed a drawer on the sides of the road, which looked extremely similar to the one in my house. I didn’t think much of it. It was just a strange coincidence. My grandfather and I were approaching my house, and I noticed one of my indoor-cats, named ‘Rocket’, running around outside, on my front lawn, frantically. There must be something going on. My grandfather, driving his van, reached the top of my driveway. I rushed out of his van to notice my front door wide open, with its wooden frame smashed. Something had to happen, and it wasn’t good.

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 .

Not recognizing anyone from the group, except those obvious two from earlier, I put in one of my earbuds, leaving the other out so I can secretly eavesdrop on what people were saying, turned my music on low and laid my head down on the table, figuring the best thing to do was catch up on some sleep while we waited for the professor to arrive. There’s this rule the college has where if the professor doesn’t show up in fifteen minutes after the bell, the students have the right to leave without discipline if they so choose. Hopefully whoever it is doesn’t come.