Unlessyourspecificemergencywasthatyoudesperatelyneededtohear a songwith a catchyhookandanintenselycatharticbridgesection. I'm 90% surethemainreason I'm hereisbecause I have a songcalled 22.
Andletmejustsay, I amelatedtobeherewithyoutodayaswecelebrateandgraduateNewYorkUniversity's Classof 2022. Someonereadstoriestoyouandtaughtyoutodreamandofferedupsomemoralcodeofrightandwrongforyoutotryandliveby.
Andmaybetheydidn't doitperfectly.
Nooneevercan.
Maybetheyaren't withusanymore.
Inthatcase, I hopeyou'llrememberthemtoday. Wordsaresupposedtobemything, but I willneverbeabletofindthewordstothankmymomanddad, mybrotherAustin, forthesacrificestheymadeeverydayso I couldgofromsingingincoffeehousestostandingupherewithyoualltodaybecausenowordswouldeverbeenough. Toalltheincredibleparents, familymembers, mentors, teachers, allies, friends, andlovedonesheretodaywhohavesupportedthesestudentsintheirpursuitofeducationalenrichment, letmesaytoyounow, welcometoNewYork.
It's beenwaitingforyou. Youand I bothlearnedthatyoudon't alwaysgetallthethingsinthebagthatyouselectedfromthemenuinthedeliverysurfacethatislife.
Yougetwhatyouget.
Andas I wouldliketosaytoyouwholeheartedly, youshouldbeveryproudofwhatyou'vedonewithit. Today, youleaveNewYorkUniversityandthengooutintotheworldsearchingwhat's next.
Andsowill I.
Pleasebearinmindthat I innowayfeelqualifiedtotellyouwhattodo.
You'veworkedandstruggledandsacrificedandstudiedanddreamedyourwayheretoday. I will, however, giveyousomelifehacks I wish I knewwhen I wasstartingoutmydreamsof a careerandnavigatinglife, love, pressure, choices, shame, hope, andfriendship.