Graduation Oath

With my sister Thea who just graduated! Photo from my IG account: @thessaes

Seeing my sister graduate this week and many other graduates post photos of their convocation on social media have made me look back at my own in 2010 and think about how far I am in my journey after marching out of ULS (Uganayang La Salle) as a bright-eyed new grad. (Lola vibes, I know.) At the beginning of this week, I sat in my sister's graduation and listened intently, nodding my head in agreement, to the opening remarks given by their College President and one of the school's successful alumni about how life would be like after you're done being a student.

Graduating from Sheridan College in 2012

Speaking of lola... posing with my lola when I graduated from university in 2010

I remember as a student, I always dreamed of giving a graduation speech. I was an overachieving student who hoped of getting the experience of reading a speech in front of my batch on graduation. Haha! What a nerd, I used to be. When I finished high school as the class salutatorian, I was so excited to give my speech -- only to find out that only the valedictorian would get to do it and I would be assigned to read an oath instead. (Not fair!) But when I think about it now, what would have I told my fellow graduates anyway if I was given the chance? Would it have inspired them? Would it be of any help to them, knowing that back then I was only a 16-year-old girl who was inexperienced in life just like the reast of the class-- not even close to a real world rookie?

Graduating from high school in 2006 

If my 25-year-old self would be transported back to that breezy-but-kind-of-sticky-afternoon in our school's small gymnasium, on a podium in my white graduation gown, I'd probably skip the damn oath and read them my own graduation oath:

*Ehem, ehem!*

"Good afternoon teachers, parents, guests and fellow graduates! We'll all have different journeys, different experiences. Your story will be different from mine; I can assure you. But there is common wisdom we can all keep in the back of our minds to help us navigate our ships after we sail. Fellow graduates, please raise your right hand and repeat after me...

I, (state your name), promise to:

• Believe strongly in my dreams... but be brave enough to make plans and execute those plans to make my dreams come true.
• Push myself to do better and be better, but not to the point that I'd break myself.
• Not compare my success to other people's success. Success comes at different times in people's lives. I will get my turn -- maybe more than once in my entire lifetime. 
• Remember that being successful is not just being successful in my career.
• Focus on improving myself than wasting my time and energy on envying others and complaining.
• Pursue my passions, but also open myself to new learnings, experiences and opportunities. I will never be too old for anything.
• Never be afraid of taking a leap of faith and if I fail, to try again. I will never be afraid to explore the unknown and go out of my comfort zone.
• Learn from my mistakes. Learn to forgive myself for those mistakes. Learn to let go. Learn from every experience.
• Believe that every day is a new opportunity.
• Give back when I have more than enough. And also to try to give back even if I just have enough.
• Not be an arrogant/pompous/cold-hearted person when luck and success start coming my way.
• Thank my parents because without them, I would be nothing.
• Be grateful for each blessing. 
• Enjoy the journey. It's as important as the destination.

This is my commitment to myself, my family, my friends and my fellow citizens of the world."

*mic drop*

*applause*

*and our graduation song starts playing in the background*