Posted 1:50 am Sunday, May 13, 2012
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Good Advice, Wisdom For The Graduates Of The Class Of 2012
I first put together a collection of good advice to graduates in a column that ran four years ago. I have updated it for the Class of 2012.
This class holds a special place in my heart because my two sons, Alexander and Jacob Mogle, and many of their friends, are graduating from high school and I will be completing my master's degree at The University of Texas at Tyler after a course this summer.
Class of 2012: You've made it through high school or college, but most of you still have to sit through commencement.
I know all of you will be anxious to get out of those silly looking caps and gowns as soon as possible and get on with your lives, but try to be patient. Take a moment and listen to the speaker. You likely will get some good advice.
Trust me: We all need good advice to get through life.
I did an Internet search and found words of wisdom to graduates I thought were worth passing on.
- The late Woody Hayes, legendary football coach, speaking at the Ohio State University commencement in 1986
"One thing you cannot afford to do - that's to feel sorry for yourself. That's what leads to drugs, to alcohol, to those things that tear you apart. In football we always said that the other team couldn't beat us. We had to be sure that we didn't beat ourselves. And that's what people have to do, to make sure they don't beat themselves."
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President Barack Obama, speaking at Booker T. Washington High School, Memphis, Tenn., in 2011
"So, Class of 2011, the hard road doesn't end here; your journeys have just begun. And your diploma isn't a free pass - it can't protect you against every setback or challenge or mistake. You've got to keep working hard. You've got to keep pushing yourselves. But if you do, I am confident about your futures. I am hopeful and excited about all that you can achieve."
- Oprah Winfrey speaking at the Howard University commencement in 2007
"Your calling isn't something that somebody can tell you about. It's what you feel. It's a part of your life force. It is the thing that gives you juice. The thing that you are supposed to do. And nobody can tell you what that is. You know it inside yourself."
- The late journalist and political commentator Tim Russert speaking at the Niagara University commencement in 2000
"Remember the message our parents and grandparents and teachers repeated and repeated - and instilled in us. A belief if you worked hard and played fair, things really would turn out all right. And you know something - after working for senators and governors, meeting popes and interviewing presidents - I think they might be right."
- The late Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, speaking at the Stanford University commencement in 2005
"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice."
- President George W. Bush speaking at the St. Vincent College commencement in 2007
"My challenge to you today is this: Be the person who walks through that door. Be the face that brings a smile to the hurt and forgotten. Lead lives of purpose and character - make a difference in someone else's life. And if you do, you will lead richer lives, you will build a more hopeful nation, and you'll never be disappointed."
- Steven Colbert, talk show host, speaking at the Northwestern University commencement in 2011.
"Life is an improvisation. You have no idea what's going to happen next and you are mostly just making things up as you go along. "
- Connan O'Brian, talk show host, speaking at the Dartmouth College commencement in 2011.
"I am going to give you real, practical advice that you will need to know if you are going to survive the next few years. First, adult acne lasts longer than you think. I almost cancelled two days ago because I had a zit on my eye. Guys: this is important -- you cannot iron a shirt while wearing it. If you live on Ramen Noodles for too long, you lose all feeling in your hands and your stool becomes a white gel. And finally, wearing colorful Converse high-tops beneath your graduation robe is a great way to tell your classmates that this is just the first of many horrible decisions you plan to make with your life."
Good luck, Class of 2012.
Work hard. Be kind. Find joy in all you do.
It all goes by very fast.
