Inspirational Graduation Speech

Ok, its 12:15 and I just walked into my house from seeing a movie with three of my best friends and I have to write this speech. A speech that's suppose to inspire all of you, and tell you how the future has so much to hold for the class of 2005, how the possibilities are endless. Right now I'm probably standing in the front of the class and supposed to be addressing all of you as "fellow graduates, or to the class of 05'". But that's not what I'm going to do. I put this off as I do with the majority of my work thinking I would just write something everyone expects to hear, but instead I wrote this. I'm not going to tell you to go on and do well, become the doctors and lawyers and teachers of tomorrow. This isn't a speech to tell you how to live or how to go on, but to remind you how you have for the past eighteen years of your lives. We're all eighteen! Seventeen, seventeen and a half, who cares! We all grew up together. I've walked into school every day for the most part for the past thirteen years of my life and I've seen the same people, the same faces with the same old stories. A lot of you probably hate it here or claim you do, but you will never be here again. I'll never be in the car with my friends again like I was tonight, the night I wrote this. We are only here for a minute, you need to realize that and seize the moment, live to LIVE. I haven't been the perfect student or the prefect person for that matter and for those of you who really know me you know I never tried to be. But I'm ok with that. I forged friendships and lead a life I'm proud to call my own. No one has the memories I have, they're mine. No one can tell the stories I've told or been where I've been. Just me. But for you, it's exactly the same. I've never been perfect nor will I ever claim to be, I just get by. But for me, that's what it's all about. If you've asked me in the past if I'm nervous to move on, nervous to leave this place I most likely put on a stern exterior, one of certainty and readiness. The truth is, I'm going to miss being here. No matter how many times I wasn't in class, no matter how many fights I've been in with my friends and family I will never, not for a moment look past this town. It's more than a town, it's who we are. We're all going away in three months give or take,