FULL TRANSCRIPT: No, please keep it going, I gotta fill 5 mins but only prepped 2. Our Honorable Dean Barone, and Associate Deans, Esteemed Faculty and Staff, Parents, Family, Friends, and above all, my fellow classmates of the Class of 2015: …. Dearly beloved we are gathered here today to join in ho-ly …matrimony? Nope, wait, nope…this is, so embarrassing, this is the wrong draft here. Just a moment. It’s a pretty big moment isn’t it? We’re graduating now. And I’m really glad I’m up here. I want you to know that I really struggled with the beginning here, I didn’t know how to open, so like any reasonable person would do, I went to TH-cam for inspiration. And, like most of my brilliant ideas…it was a terrible idea. I started watching videos of other graduation speeches, speakers like Bill Gates, or Steve Jobs, like actual great people, people that have changed the world. I was already nervous about this, but watching the videos, I realized just what I’d gotten myself into. And it was terrifying, absolutely terrifying. Their speeches were so eloquent, their words were so intelligent, and their messages were incredibly inspiring and humbling. And at this point the panic set in. There I am, thinking, “What would my youtube comments say? How will my speech compare? How, how do I compare to these guys?” And the truth is, I don’t. I don’t compare. But I wasn’t going to back out. I accepted Dean Woodward’s offer, and I can stand here and admit: That I have no honor cords. I forget the names of people before I’m even done shaking their hand. I cook in the microwave. Poorly. And it takes me 4 days to do one load of laundry. And I might fail here, I might be judged and compared to other people and speeches, and I think my lesson, what I’m tying to say here is that: I don’t give a damn And neither should you. In 6 years, I’ve learned that: You cannot let fear stop you from doing what will make you great. You cannot let the fear of failure stop you. The fear of judgment, or the fear of comparison. You will not succeed in doing something great without the risk of failure. You will never be heard without the risk of being criticized. You will never love without risking a great loss. Go out there. Do the things that will make you great. Do the things that are scary and uncomfortable. Everything that I’m proud of has been a wildly terrifying proposal. What does your accomplishment even matter if you didn’t feel some struggle along the way? Too many of us let fear guide our paths. Out of fear we trick ourselves into thinking we’re making the more practical choice. We believe that what we really want is so incredibly out of reach, so ludicrous to expect, that we don’t have the gall to ask for it. I’m saying that you should ask. Look at me. Ruben NO CORDS Patel. I’m the proof that you can ask the world for everything you want. Ask for everything, and then dare to ask for more. Place your order, and get a side of fries too. And if you don’t get what you want right away, have patience, the world is probably still processing my giant bill. Now lets backtrack for a sec and talk about fear and failure. I’m not asking you to never fail again, failure is good. Now, this is a story all about how My life got flipped-turned upside down And I'd like to take a minute, just sit right there I'll tell you how I failed in pharm school with flair. The first few years I got through unfazed In the dorm room was where I spent most of my days Chillin' out maxin' relaxin' all cool Still making deans list, I wasn’t acting no fool Had a couple of months where I was up to no good My grades dropped lower than they ever should I had one bad year and my dean got scared He said 'YOURE ON ACADEMIC PROBATION AND WE CAN KICK YOU OUT OF SCHOOL” Guys I left high school with a 4.0 and thought I was invincible. I’ve failed so hard at so many things over the years, and I’m glad that it did. Without doing so, I would’ve never learned some of the great lessons in life. I’ve failed in school, public speaking. I’ve failed with girls, and even cooking. I failed my way up to this podium and I plan on failing my way through residency too. I hope you fail over and over again. I hope you fail, get yourself up and fail again. And I hope you fail just a little better every time. Dare to fail greatly and without fear. And that is what I’m asking you to do. Fail fearlessly. And this is where I’ll get choked up, because when I tap into this, I swear it comes the heart: Find what makes you fail fearlessly. Find what makes you fearless. Identify those people in your lives that bring you up, and allow you to be your best self. Today, take a second, thank the people in your lives that wanted this for you, and helped you achieve it. In my life, those people are my parents; thank you mom and dad. My friends This unbelievable faculty; thank you. And you guys, all of you from the class of 2015, thank you so much. Look at you guys, I am so proud of you, I am so proud of us. Look at all the talent in this room. No, actually take a look at the talent. Look to your right and left, and think back 6 years ago, at orientation, when they did the same thing and said one of you wouldn’t make it. You did. You all made it. I’m so proud, and there is no better group of people to have spent 6 years with. You know, they said we were supposed to be cliquey, cut throat, and out for ourselves. We were supposed trample over each other to edge out for a slightly better grade. I can’t imagine a greater lie. Yes, there will always exist some negativity in the world, those negative people and things. There will be people that want to see you fail, and it’s a bit disheartening. But what brings my heart comfort, is that since I am up here, it means that positivity, those positive forces and people in your life, are the ones with the actual power. If you can ignore the negativity out there. Only those positive forces have the power to shape you. For me, “those people,” are this class. I’ve watched you guys, and I’ve seen some incredible hardships, and unbelievable kindness. There’s an odd sense of family that’s developed here. There’s support, encouragement, and a sense of protection, it’s like some super nerdy wolf pack. I love you guys. It’s definitely you guys I’ll remember forever, sure as hell isn’t going to be anthracycline dosing. You guys are walking away with a doctorate, it’s been 6 years of lessons and advice, so I’m gonna stop trying to impart “wisdom” here, and focus on my last words to so many of you. We’ll be licensed soon, and we’re excited. You should be. But just wait with me for a second, and just bask in this moment, finishing these 6 years. Take it all in, the good memories and the bad. The warm fuzzy ones and the ones that stopped your tracks. Think back to when a stranger helped you out just because, “Oh you’re in pharmacy? I’m in pharmacy too!” Look to the people next to you, think back to the first time you met them, and how happy you are that they’re still here with you. I hope to keep running into everyone, but in a very real sense I understand that there is a huge chuck of people I’ll never see again. And that’s okay. We had our 6 years here, I’m ready to dive into the next 6. I’d wish everyone good luck, but that never had anything to do with it. This class is about to take the pharmacy world by storm, and I know theyre not ready for us. This class has so much talent, and so much potential, that you yourselves have no idea. Kurt. Where are you Kurt, Kurt Meakim will matter in his community. People wont see him as a pharmacist, there are plenty of those, they’ll see him as a Health-care provider. And he will make a difference in people’s lives. Alka Bhatt. There she is. Alka, in some way, big or small, will change the way you practice pharmacy. This is not a belief. This is something I know, something she has already set the groundwork for. Bowie Reilly. There she is in pink. Bowie, is uh, yea, she’s pretty smart too. I guess. No, Bowie is one of those girls that plays “too cool for school” but in reality is a passionately engaged person. You know when doctors say, “treat your patient like they were your family member,” Bowie lives that. I’ve worked with her, and I know she’ll provide the best patient care. I hear it when she argues with me, and see it in her eyes. Bowie does not accept second best. I wish I could stand here and run through the whole roster, but I cant. I want the rest of you to know that you are our colleagues. You will have the same impact out there. And if you’re sitting there thinking, “Oh, I didn’t get a shoutout, he doesn’t believe in me the same way, I don’t have the same potential.” I want you to understand what school you’re graduating from. Understand that you should believe in yourself. Because if you were to ask me: “Can I really do it? Do I match up? Can I really make a difference out there?” YOU. BET. YOUR. ASS. YOU. CAN. Congratulations guys. Take it in. You did it. I hope I see you at Stuffyerface later. I love you guys.
FULL TRANSCRIPT:
No, please keep it going, I gotta fill 5 mins but only prepped 2.
Our Honorable Dean Barone, and Associate Deans, Esteemed Faculty and Staff, Parents, Family, Friends, and above all, my fellow classmates of the Class of 2015:
….
Dearly beloved we are gathered here today to join in ho-ly …matrimony?
Nope, wait, nope…this is, so embarrassing, this is the wrong draft here. Just a moment.
It’s a pretty big moment isn’t it? We’re graduating now. And I’m really glad I’m up here.
I want you to know that I really struggled with the beginning here, I didn’t know how to open, so like any reasonable person would do, I went to TH-cam for inspiration.
And, like most of my brilliant ideas…it was a terrible idea.
I started watching videos of other graduation speeches, speakers like Bill Gates, or Steve Jobs, like actual great people, people that have changed the world.
I was already nervous about this, but watching the videos, I realized just what I’d gotten myself into.
And it was terrifying, absolutely terrifying.
Their speeches were so eloquent, their words were so intelligent, and their messages were incredibly inspiring and humbling.
And at this point the panic set in.
There I am, thinking, “What would my youtube comments say? How will my speech compare?
How, how do I compare to these guys?”
And the truth is, I don’t. I don’t compare.
But I wasn’t going to back out. I accepted Dean Woodward’s offer, and I can stand here and admit:
That I have no honor cords.
I forget the names of people before I’m even done shaking their hand.
I cook in the microwave. Poorly.
And it takes me 4 days to do one load of laundry.
And I might fail here, I might be judged and compared to other people and speeches, and I think my lesson, what I’m tying to say here is that:
I don’t give a damn
And neither should you.
In 6 years, I’ve learned that:
You cannot let fear stop you from doing what will make you great.
You cannot let the fear of failure stop you. The fear of judgment, or the fear of comparison.
You will not succeed in doing something great without the risk of failure.
You will never be heard without the risk of being criticized.
You will never love without risking a great loss.
Go out there. Do the things that will make you great. Do the things that are scary and uncomfortable.
Everything that I’m proud of has been a wildly terrifying proposal.
What does your accomplishment even matter if you didn’t feel some struggle along the way?
Too many of us let fear guide our paths. Out of fear we trick ourselves into thinking we’re making the more practical choice.
We believe that what we really want is so incredibly out of reach, so ludicrous to expect, that we don’t have the gall to ask for it.
I’m saying that you should ask.
Look at me. Ruben NO CORDS Patel. I’m the proof that you can ask the world for everything you want. Ask for everything, and then dare to ask for more. Place your order, and get a side of fries too. And if you don’t get what you want right away, have patience, the world is probably still processing my giant bill.
Now lets backtrack for a sec and talk about fear and failure.
I’m not asking you to never fail again, failure is good.
Now, this is a story all about how
My life got flipped-turned upside down
And I'd like to take a minute, just sit right there
I'll tell you how I failed in pharm school with flair.
The first few years I got through unfazed
In the dorm room was where I spent most of my days
Chillin' out maxin' relaxin' all cool
Still making deans list, I wasn’t acting no fool
Had a couple of months where I was up to no good
My grades dropped lower than they ever should
I had one bad year and my dean got scared
He said 'YOURE ON ACADEMIC PROBATION AND WE CAN KICK YOU OUT OF SCHOOL”
Guys I left high school with a 4.0 and thought I was invincible. I’ve failed so hard at so many things over the years, and I’m glad that it did.
Without doing so, I would’ve never learned some of the great lessons in life.
I’ve failed in school, public speaking.
I’ve failed with girls, and even cooking.
I failed my way up to this podium and I plan on failing my way through residency too.
I hope you fail over and over again. I hope you fail, get yourself up and fail again.
And I hope you fail just a little better every time.
Dare to fail greatly and without fear.
And that is what I’m asking you to do. Fail fearlessly.
And this is where I’ll get choked up, because when I tap into this, I swear it comes the heart: Find what makes you fail fearlessly. Find what makes you fearless.
Identify those people in your lives that bring you up, and allow you to be your best self. Today, take a second, thank the people in your lives that wanted this for you, and helped you achieve it.
In my life, those people are my parents; thank you mom and dad.
My friends
This unbelievable faculty; thank you.
And you guys, all of you from the class of 2015, thank you so much.
Look at you guys, I am so proud of you, I am so proud of us. Look at all the talent in this room.
No, actually take a look at the talent.
Look to your right and left, and think back 6 years ago, at orientation, when they did the same thing and said one of you wouldn’t make it.
You did. You all made it.
I’m so proud, and there is no better group of people to have spent 6 years with.
You know, they said we were supposed to be cliquey, cut throat, and out for ourselves.
We were supposed trample over each other to edge out for a slightly better grade.
I can’t imagine a greater lie. Yes, there will always exist some negativity in the world, those negative people and things. There will be people that want to see you fail, and it’s a bit disheartening.
But what brings my heart comfort, is that since I am up here, it means that positivity, those positive forces and people in your life, are the ones with the actual power. If you can ignore the negativity out there. Only those positive forces have the power to shape you.
For me, “those people,” are this class.
I’ve watched you guys, and I’ve seen some incredible hardships, and unbelievable kindness.
There’s an odd sense of family that’s developed here.
There’s support, encouragement, and a sense of protection, it’s like some super nerdy wolf pack.
I love you guys.
It’s definitely you guys I’ll remember forever, sure as hell isn’t going to be anthracycline dosing.
You guys are walking away with a doctorate, it’s been 6 years of lessons and advice, so I’m gonna stop trying to impart “wisdom” here, and focus on my last words to so many of you.
We’ll be licensed soon, and we’re excited. You should be. But just wait with me for a second, and just bask in this moment, finishing these 6 years. Take it all in, the good memories and the bad. The warm fuzzy ones and the ones that stopped your tracks.
Think back to when a stranger helped you out just because,
“Oh you’re in pharmacy? I’m in pharmacy too!”
Look to the people next to you, think back to the first time you met them, and how happy you are that they’re still here with you.
I hope to keep running into everyone, but in a very real sense I understand that there is a huge chuck of people I’ll never see again.
And that’s okay. We had our 6 years here, I’m ready to dive into the next 6.
I’d wish everyone good luck, but that never had anything to do with it.
This class is about to take the pharmacy world by storm, and I know theyre not ready for us.
This class has so much talent, and so much potential, that you yourselves have no idea.
Kurt. Where are you Kurt, Kurt Meakim will matter in his community. People wont see him as a pharmacist, there are plenty of those, they’ll see him as a Health-care provider. And he will make a difference in people’s lives.
Alka Bhatt. There she is. Alka, in some way, big or small, will change the way you practice pharmacy. This is not a belief. This is something I know, something she has already set the groundwork for.
Bowie Reilly. There she is in pink. Bowie, is uh, yea, she’s pretty smart too. I guess.
No, Bowie is one of those girls that plays “too cool for school” but in reality is a passionately engaged person. You know when doctors say, “treat your patient like they were your family member,” Bowie lives that. I’ve worked with her, and I know she’ll provide the best patient care. I hear it when she argues with me, and see it in her eyes. Bowie does not accept second best.
I wish I could stand here and run through the whole roster, but I cant.
I want the rest of you to know that you are our colleagues. You will have the same impact out there.
And if you’re sitting there thinking, “Oh, I didn’t get a shoutout, he doesn’t believe in me the same way, I don’t have the same potential.”
I want you to understand what school you’re graduating from.
Understand that you should believe in yourself.
Because if you were to ask me:
“Can I really do it? Do I match up? Can I really make a difference out there?”
YOU. BET. YOUR. ASS. YOU. CAN.
Congratulations guys. Take it in. You did it. I hope I see you at Stuffyerface later. I love you guys.