Imperial Speech

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SPEECH

GEd 106 - Purposive Communication


Alyana Mariz C. Imperial | BSCHEM-1101
5:

“Hard things will happen to us. We will recover, we will learn from it, we will grow more
resilient because of it. And as long as we are fortunate enough to be breathing, we will breathe
in, breathe through, breathe deep, and breathe out.” These are the words of Taylor Swift from
her graduation speech at New York University. I want us to reflect on this quotation as we
reminisce the experiences we had to go through for us to be here today.

First, I would like to acknowledge the presence of our dear parents, faculty staff, and
everyone gathered here today, especially our graduates. It is an honor to stand here and
witness the intensity of emotions that lies within everyone’s eyes. It is as if there is a fire inside
all of you that can’t help but shine through. Today is a celebration that took us four years of
patience, hard work, dedication, and resiliency. Now, it is time for the bittersweet moment that
we’ve been waiting for—closing this chapter of our lives.

Looking back, I would say that we’ve been through a lot. We encountered different
transitions consecutively as if we were a short instagram reel of a known influencer. Due to the
pandemic caused by the COVID-19, we finished senior high school through modules and online
classes. While dealing with all the requirements for the semester, we also had to prepare other
requirements as the college admissions of different universities started to open. Other than that,
the search for scholarships to apply to was also on-going. All those preparations, but we all
know that it was not the hardest part of it. Rather, it was the outcome, and thus, the result that
indicates whether we made it or not. We submitted our applications with hope and aspirations of
studying our dream courses in a particular university we had in mind. However, there are things
that aren’t meant to be and rejections cannot be avoided. I still remember a different type of
heartbreak that I experienced when I didn’t make it to the list of qualifiers of the scholarship that
I applied to. Also, it is such a memory of how “Thank you!” from University of the Philippines
represented rejection and impacted my existence for the time being. Despite the series of
unfortunate events, we have no choice but to keep going. Just like they say, tighten your grip
because we are still at the beginning and about to start.

Back in high school, I have read stories of people from the internet of how different and
hard college is from their perspective. I used to wonder, “If it is already my turn, would I feel the
same way?” Before I entered this university, I expected that I would experience all the fun along
with hardships and sleepless nights. I thought all I needed was to adapt and make little
adjustments, but it was more than that. When it was finally my turn, I realized that those
Facebook posts ain’t lying—college is indeed different. You will meet numerous people from
various places with different backgrounds and stories. At some point, you can’t help but feel
either the feeling of being left out or being left behind. On the first day of freshman year, I had to
eat alone for the first time ‘cause I have no one to eat with. I remember that I almost shed a tear
when a random stranger initiated a little talk and told me that I can sit beside her because we’re
both alone. Hence, surrounding yourself with the right people would make a difference, but to
find the circle that you have a connection with, will take time. Good thing, I have found my
people—Shellaie, Julienne, Jean, Esel, Maye, Yana Lizette, Yana Louise, and of course Lea,

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who helped me survive the first week. Through them, I felt that sense of belongingness that
everybody needs, which made this journey bearable. On the other hand, there are also
instances that no matter how hard we try, we don’t get the result that we wanted. It is
frustrating—I know because I’ve been there. Spending more time than you ever did studying is
what makes college more draining. Most of the time, it almost takes our day, but still can’t get
the score we’re aiming for. Trying different study methods and using every second we get to
prepare for a quiz, yet we would end up saying, “Nasa acceptance stage na ‘ko, babawi na lang
sa midterms,” as our mantra after taking it. The worst part of it is the moment we go back to our
dorms and the inevitable thought of self-doubt as we reflect on our previous achievements.

It was indeed a long journey, a fun and tough one at the same time. We started this
journey as young adults. At the time, we were excited, motivated, nervous, and most of us were
anxious of whatever it is that awaits us in this journey. The idea of moving out of our hometown
and living in a dorm was something that most of us were excited about college life. However, the
thought of the emotions and struggles that comes with it was never part of the daydream we
had when we were younger. No one knows the exact details of our challenges, except us. Other
than the academic difficulties, there are other personal problems that we cannot control. Thus,
we had no choice but to be flexible and multi-task. We worked hard as we grind every day to
achieve the grade requirement of the scholarship that made it possible for most of us to finish
this degree. Some of us worked harder considering that they supported themselves throughout
this journey. No one had an easy route—it was a rollercoaster ride for all of us. Nonetheless, the
amount of stress for every recitation, activity, quiz, examination, and challenge was nothing
compared to the feeling of fulfillment and satisfaction, now that we are finally here at this
moment.

The last time I wore a similar outfit was four years ago, except it was not my size. We
had to go through a rough path to wear this cap and gown. With that being said, I am
encouraging everyone to flex this as if it is an “aesthetic fit” that took us forever to pick. Let this
moment be a significant one that we can look back to as we take one step forward towards our
goals and aspirations. To future engineers, educators, accountants, especially my beloved
chemists, and other future professionals in this auditorium, we are almost there. All the
breakdowns, burnouts, downfalls, and sleepless nights were worth it. Before I end this speech, I
want all of you to give yourselves a pat on the head because you did a great job. As a closing
remark, I will leave this stage with a quotation, “Your life is your story, and the adventure ahead
of you is the journey to fulfill your own purpose and potential.” Thank you and congratulations,
everyone.

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