A New Leaf

Hello everybody; it's been a while. With school, work, and my extracurricular activities, I haven't had as much time as I would have wanted to spend writing. In the two years since I've last posted, I was vice president, president, and varsity captain for my high school's Academic Decathlon team, went to the California state Academic Decathlon competition twice, was a student commissioner for my city's Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission, a speech coach for Chinese students learning English, earned my Eagle Scout rank, and was accepted into my dream school, the University of California San Diego. With that in mind, I'm also about to graduate high school. I wasn't the speaker that my high school teachers were looking for as graduation speaker, but I thought it would be remiss if I did not say anything. My original speech would seem a bit out of context as an article, so this is a slightly abridged version.

"Throughout my high school career, this general sense of having no idea what to do was constant. Whether it is not knowing what the word "conscientious" means on my report card, or having my Google search history consist entirely of "define this" queries, I certainly have had a constant level of uncertainty during my journey through high school. I'm sure many of my class mates have felt the same. Luckily, we happen to be contemporaries with some of the greatest philosophers of all time. That is why in preparing my words of empowerment, I drew up a three key plan to success inspired by the thoughts and musings of Snapchat's most esteemed philosopher Mr. Khaled Mohamed Khaled, also known as DJ Khaled.

If you have seen Mr. Khaled on Snapchat or Twitter, you have probably heard how he defines his advice as "major keys." The first major key to success stems from Mr. Khaled's frequent call to action: "walk with me on the pathway to more success." Not only is this an inspirational call to action for everyone to do more with their life, but there is also a particular focus here. He did not say that he was the only one going on the pathway to more success, nor did he say that only you need to strive to be more successful. In saying "walk with me" it is important to realize that true success does not come from bulldozing your way to the top; success is not exclusive. I know that many of you graduating this year have proven yourselves to be talented individuals in numerous manners, however if your tunnel vision keeps you from helping others, this will not matter. True success is derived from us making the journey there together, as a community. Truly successful people are not remembered for being amazing at what they do. The ones who are honorable are not those in power, but the ones who empower others. Those that went above and beyond to help others and spread kindness. Those who do their best to help people realize the success they are capable of are the ones who make an actual impact on the world. These people are the teachers who proved to be much more than purveyors of curricula, the friends who stayed behind to have an hours long conversation just so you could get life's weight off your chest, the loved ones who forced you to send them a text when you got home just to make sure you were doing okay, the big brothers and big sisters, both from your mother and another, and even the heroes that have had the most profound impact on you without you even meeting them. Look back on your life; I'm sure you have these people. Many of them will sit with you on your graduation night.

Every high school student has probably been reminded about this approximately 1,000 times, but the class of 2017 is making an enormous leap towards adulthood. It is going to be scary, but that's just a given. Being responsible, going to Chuck E. Cheese on your own, paying taxes, and coping with the fact that you do not need to ask for your parents' permission before going on to DisneyChannel.com is not fun for anyone. There is a lot of responsibility to assume when you jump into adulthood. With this in mind the second key to success is remembering, as DJ Khaled would warn you, don't ever play yourself. For the most part, your life is what you make it, so if you do not like where you are, do not just sit there in false complacency: do something. It might not be easy, simple, or obvious, but fear should never restrain you from your true potential. As my good friend Jeffrey Xiao once told me, "In order to catch your dreams you have to drop your fears." If you want to accomplish your goals and be the person you always dreamed you would become, you have to drop the fears you're holding onto. I know, in my heart, that you all have the potential to catch these dreams. Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise.

In adulthood, this fear of failing is extremely palpable. Whether you are going to be an important income earner for your family or the first one to go to college, many of you might feel that you have high expectations to fulfill. There will be times that you fail, and sometimes they might seem to come more frequently with every passing day. I know I have held a similar sentiment. Sometimes, it will feel like you are climbing up a mountain where the summit grows farther and farther away. But I can assure you that after all these years, I have been to that mountain top. And on that mountain top I have seen the potential that you all possess. Trust me, I had my glasses on. It might be obvious, and you certainly might not feel the same, but I know that the Class of 2017 has some of the most extraordinary people that I have had the pleasure of spending the past four years with. The third major key is incredibly important to remember: it has to come from within. As DJ Khaled would warn you, they don't want to see you win. They don't want to see the sun shining on you, as you walk on the pathway to more success. In the Class of 2017, you might find the next nobel prize winner, poet laureate, Tony winner, future president, or even the next Kids Choice Awards host. The only reason why these people might not be in the crowd is because someone told them otherwise. There will always be those who say that you aren't capable, your dreams are too unreasonable, you're too optimistic or even that people like you don't go where you want to go. These people will be one of the worst constants in your life, but you can not let them break you. DJ Khaled's words of wisdom do not matter if you do not believe in your greatness. You are the only person holding yourself back. I know that the Class of 2017 will all go on to great things. I and many, many others have seen this in you. It is now your turn to see it in yourself.

However, nothing I say matters if you are not willing to go the extra mile. If you are not genuinely excited, and motivated, to be the next greatest generation, we will not be. People far wiser than I am have told me that in order to do great things you have to be excited; you have to become, in a sense, fired up. And ready to go. So my two questions to everyone are simple.

Are you all fired up? Are you all ready to go?

I certainly hope you so, because we have a wonderful adventure ahead of us. Congratulations Class of 2017. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart, and I'll see you soon. It's been a pleasure."

Thank you to everyone who helped me along my "long blue line", as frequently said at my high school, over the past four years. If you feel like you're one of the "heroes" I alluded to here, you probably are one. I can not comprehend how to make it up to you all, but I can assure you that I'll attempt to reciprocate the help you've given me. I know that I would not be here without it.

Nearly every single person in my family since my grandparents graduated from my high school, and in three days I will be the last person in the family to graduate from there. I could not care less about being grad speaker to add it to my resume, brag about it, or anything else in the same vein. What matters to me is my words possibly leaving a positive mark on the school, the people, that I owe my family history to. That posting my speech has the chance of resulting in someone volunteering in their free time, donating more or for even the first time, or even taking just five extra minutes out of their day to help someone with their homework.

To me, it's not worth getting up in the morning unless I make a positive difference in someone's day, either big or small. I hope this made a difference in yours. Thank you.