A Graduation Speech of Good Advice

Graduation Speech

Universities Center of Dallas (Texas A&M University-Commerce)

Tonight is a life moment you will always remember.  We don’t remember days of our lives, we remember moments of our lives.  You accomplishment is celebrated tonight in a one of the world’s oldest rituals—a public notification of attainment of an educational goal.

And, you are one of few who reach this level of education in our society.  Statistics show that only about 1/3 of the American population receive a college degree and the percentages for graduate degrees is smaller than you could ever imagine.  You see, while taking college courses, you are surrounded by those doing the same and it is easy to believe ‘everyone is doing this.’ But they are not.  For this, we commend you.

From now on, you will continually have a reoccurring dream.  You will dream that it is right before graduation and there is a class that you have not attended and you are trying to find the classroom and take a final for a course you never attended.

In the coming months, when someone asks ‘Hey, what have you been doing lately?’, the first thing out of your mouth should be ‘I graduated.’  Celebrate this distinction with distinction.  Too often we move ahead with our families and jobs and tasks of life and forget that we did something amazing and forgot to enjoy the moment.

I’m not sure I will be remembered by any of you for giving your commencement address.  I’ve sat through many of these ceremonies and the ones I remember were the ones that were somewhat oddball speeches made by certainly oddball tenured professors.  I hope to provide you with an oddball speech.

I’ve often thought that a large part of higher education is an endurance test, and this is your final one—to sit and listen to an old guy talking about advice for a young person.

When it truly comes down to good advice tonight, I’ve got nothing.  Oh, except: take many photos.  I’ve heard many graduates say that they regret not taking time to have a photo of just them and their Dad at Graduation.  So, take many pictures of you and your loved ones tonight.

You are smart, you know the world’s situation, you know the rules for dressing for success, firm handshakes, resumes that are time efficient for the reader—all the proper guidelines that in the past have been surefire success techniques.  Rather than us tell you what was successful in the our past; we hope you will look forward to the year 2025 and determine what will be success in your lives.  But, do remember, times have changed and most of my speech tonight has been taken from Facebook status postings.

And you are aware of the poetic advice often given at these events.  Kipling’s poem “If” and that poem about two roads diverging in the woods, and the one book I’d like to burn is that “Oh, the places you will go…”

But, here are some practical advice lessons that are learned sometimes without warning or a chapter from a course that you’ve forgotten anyway.

Evaluate your life in joy, not happiness.   Make every year better in your evaluation than the year before.

Don’t be ashamed of asking for help.  Help others when you can, but don’t be used.  By anyone.

A friend once told me he sat his son down for a serious talk right before college graduation and went to a quiet room and sat his son down and looked at him with the most serious face, eye-to-eye, ready to give his eldest the secret of life with great lifetime memorable advice.  He quietly said, “If you ever thaw meat, never refreeze it.”  That’s it.

As for romance, well, it’s better to want what you don’t have, than to have what you don’t want.

Remember that credit cards are EVIL; you are known by a number and they can ruin your life, your marriage, and burden you with modern day enslavement.

Great advice to use every day:  Righty Tighty, Lefty Loosey.  Will never fail you.

But sincerely, welcome to the world of alumni—and we will accept your pledge for an endowment tonight. 

I've learned..... That the best classroom in the world is listening to an older person..

I've learned.... That when you're in love, it shows.

I've learned.... That just one person saying to me, 'You've made my day!' makes my day.

 I've learned.... That being kind is more important than being right.

I've learned.... That I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in some other way.

I've learned.... That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.

I've learned..... That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.   When you don’t know what to say, just hold their hand.

I've learned.... That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.

I've learned.... That love, not time, heals all wounds.

I've learned..... That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.

I've learned... That life is tough, but I'm tougher.

I’ve learned….that a baby going to sleep in your arms or that first time a baby takes its little fist and squeezes your finger is the truth in the purest form.

I've learned.... That opportunities are never lost, someone will take the ones you miss.

I've learned.... That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.

I've learned.... That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

I've learned.... That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.  (This was a lesson learned this week from Dr. Berri O’Neal!)

I've learned....telling a teacher 'thank you' is a life blessing to us both.  Try it tonight with your teachers who are present tonight.

And finally, I’ve learned that all you brought with you into this life was your soul.  And all you can take with you is your soul.  I urge you to take an educated, joyful soul.

Congratulations and thank you for allowing me tonight to be part of your moment in life.