Thursday, March 17, 2005
Not the valedictorian :(
So, I learned today that I will not be the valedictorian of my Arts graduating class. It will be someone else (whose name I can't recall). The talk-off today was fantastic, and fantastically nerve-wracking. Some very good speeches, and some really not bad speeches. I personally really liked the speech of one James "Guido" Calantonio, but even he didn't win. Yes, it was judged by speech communication professors - so really, it was all about the presentation of the speech, and nothing else.
If you're interested in the speech I gave, it is recorded as a comment under this post. Remember: a speech is written to be presented vocally - it may look a little confusing on paper, but repetitions (for example) are great speech writing tools to help emphasize a point.
If you're interested in the speech I gave, it is recorded as a comment under this post. Remember: a speech is written to be presented vocally - it may look a little confusing on paper, but repetitions (for example) are great speech writing tools to help emphasize a point.
Comments:
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Mr. Chancellor, Mr. President, honoured guests, faculty, parents, friends, fellow graduands:
In my hands, I hold a passport. Yet I hold something that is more, so much more, than merely a collection of well-stamped pages. I hold something that serves as a reminder of all of the adventures I have had, the people I have met, the things I have learned.
As great literary artist J.R.R. Tolkien once noted, “Little by little, one travels far.” Indeed, as I look out over at the mortars and gowns in front of me, I see hundreds of people who will soon traverse this stage. A seemingly small journey, we will all have our own degrees, our own new stamps in our own personal passports, marking one of the greater journeys of our lives. Today's event marks all of our adventures, the people that we all have met, the things we have all learned.
Indeed, if we stop and reflect on our time as UW arts students, we can see that our education has had many things in common with a journey. Sometimes it has been a physical journey to new cities and provinces courtesy of UW's co-op program. Other times, the journeys have been within ourselves, opportunities we have taken to learn about our own personal perceptions, our deeper thoughts and feelings, our places in the universe.
We have delved into the depths of the human mind, pored over the annals of history, become experts in new languages and mastered the theories of politics, economics, and communication. We have learned about business and about law, about passion and about power, about the art and the philosophy of living and succeeding.
Yes, we have learned a great many grand things on our journeys, and a great many lesser things as well. Yes, we have learned how many hours spent revising essays are just too many. We have learned how many pints at the Bomber are just too many. We have learned just how far we can stretch a dollar. And we have learned that yes, they really do have everything at the Turnkey Desk.
We have seen four in-class finals and three major papers due all in the same week. We have balanced two part-time jobs, five classes and somehow sustained a social life and an acceptable level of nutrition in the mix. We have survived the taunts of mathies and engineers who just never seem to understand the passions and the brilliance that drives the true arts student.
Yes, with all their utter exhaustions, our journeys have not been without their moments of real enjoyment. We have handed in those papers and survived those finals and learned how deeply exhilarating the resulting freedom could be. We have stayed on the path despite the obstacles in the road. We can all still look into each others' eyes and see undimmed the sparks of those passions that drive the true arts student. And yes, beyond the passions and unlike those mathies and engineers who taunt us, I still can look out today and recognize hundreds of faces that have known the true meaning of the words 'reading week.'
At today's ceremonious occasion, this commendation of our journey, we must not forget to pay tribute to those who have helped us along the way. No journey is without its tough times, its darker moments, its difficult chasms to cross. Sometimes, we cannot overcome these obstacles on our own. We have all missed deadlines, encountered personal crises, dealt with times of financial trouble, slept through final exams. OK, maybe we have not all slept through final exams. Ah, mom, dad, you might want to pretend I never said that.
Yet as we sit here and reflect on our journeys, we have many to thank for their help and guidance. Our parents, our teachers, administrators and friends: these people have embodied We must thank our friends, these wonderful beings of life and love and support without whom the journeys would have been so much less, if indeed they would have been possible at all.
If it were up to me, these wonderful guides and supporters should almost receive their own degrees today, stamps in their own respective passports, commemorating the journeys that they have made side by side with each of us. I know today's celebration is as much about their efforts and their accomplishments as it is about my own.
Yet as we sit here, sharing in this proud moment, in my heart I am glad to know that today will not mark the end of our adventures. I see among us the many faces that will go on to graduate school, to astounding careers, to families and homes and lives of joy and bliss and experience. Surely, the personal journeys that we are all about to embark upon will become tales like the adventures in any storybook. There will be moments of joy and of pain, there will be demons to slay and angels to thank for support.
No, our adventures are not over. The journeys do not end here. The stories have not reached their close. As we sit here commemorating our journey through the faculty of arts we would do well to remember that, for many of us, our real adventures are only just starting.
Yes, in my heart I am glad to know that there will come a day in the future when we may all meet again. There will be a day when I can see us coming together at a common table to share in new stories, new adventures, new travels.
I see us comparing these new stamps in our passports, searching back through what will surely be the well-worn and well-traveled pages of the passports of our lives. Most importantly, we will be looking fondly at the stamp that says “UW Faculty of Arts, Class of 2005,” remembering the journey and the labours that put it there.
Before I step down from this podium and set my feet off onto yet another adventure, it seems to be my time-honoured valedictorian duty to leave you with one final quote. I have that quote from you today. I leave you with words from writer Ursula Le Guin:
“It is good to have an end to journey towards, but it is the journey that matters in the end.”
Thank you all, very much, for it has truly been an honour and a privilege to share in this wonderful journey with you all.
In my hands, I hold a passport. Yet I hold something that is more, so much more, than merely a collection of well-stamped pages. I hold something that serves as a reminder of all of the adventures I have had, the people I have met, the things I have learned.
As great literary artist J.R.R. Tolkien once noted, “Little by little, one travels far.” Indeed, as I look out over at the mortars and gowns in front of me, I see hundreds of people who will soon traverse this stage. A seemingly small journey, we will all have our own degrees, our own new stamps in our own personal passports, marking one of the greater journeys of our lives. Today's event marks all of our adventures, the people that we all have met, the things we have all learned.
Indeed, if we stop and reflect on our time as UW arts students, we can see that our education has had many things in common with a journey. Sometimes it has been a physical journey to new cities and provinces courtesy of UW's co-op program. Other times, the journeys have been within ourselves, opportunities we have taken to learn about our own personal perceptions, our deeper thoughts and feelings, our places in the universe.
We have delved into the depths of the human mind, pored over the annals of history, become experts in new languages and mastered the theories of politics, economics, and communication. We have learned about business and about law, about passion and about power, about the art and the philosophy of living and succeeding.
Yes, we have learned a great many grand things on our journeys, and a great many lesser things as well. Yes, we have learned how many hours spent revising essays are just too many. We have learned how many pints at the Bomber are just too many. We have learned just how far we can stretch a dollar. And we have learned that yes, they really do have everything at the Turnkey Desk.
We have seen four in-class finals and three major papers due all in the same week. We have balanced two part-time jobs, five classes and somehow sustained a social life and an acceptable level of nutrition in the mix. We have survived the taunts of mathies and engineers who just never seem to understand the passions and the brilliance that drives the true arts student.
Yes, with all their utter exhaustions, our journeys have not been without their moments of real enjoyment. We have handed in those papers and survived those finals and learned how deeply exhilarating the resulting freedom could be. We have stayed on the path despite the obstacles in the road. We can all still look into each others' eyes and see undimmed the sparks of those passions that drive the true arts student. And yes, beyond the passions and unlike those mathies and engineers who taunt us, I still can look out today and recognize hundreds of faces that have known the true meaning of the words 'reading week.'
At today's ceremonious occasion, this commendation of our journey, we must not forget to pay tribute to those who have helped us along the way. No journey is without its tough times, its darker moments, its difficult chasms to cross. Sometimes, we cannot overcome these obstacles on our own. We have all missed deadlines, encountered personal crises, dealt with times of financial trouble, slept through final exams. OK, maybe we have not all slept through final exams. Ah, mom, dad, you might want to pretend I never said that.
Yet as we sit here and reflect on our journeys, we have many to thank for their help and guidance. Our parents, our teachers, administrators and friends: these people have embodied We must thank our friends, these wonderful beings of life and love and support without whom the journeys would have been so much less, if indeed they would have been possible at all.
If it were up to me, these wonderful guides and supporters should almost receive their own degrees today, stamps in their own respective passports, commemorating the journeys that they have made side by side with each of us. I know today's celebration is as much about their efforts and their accomplishments as it is about my own.
Yet as we sit here, sharing in this proud moment, in my heart I am glad to know that today will not mark the end of our adventures. I see among us the many faces that will go on to graduate school, to astounding careers, to families and homes and lives of joy and bliss and experience. Surely, the personal journeys that we are all about to embark upon will become tales like the adventures in any storybook. There will be moments of joy and of pain, there will be demons to slay and angels to thank for support.
No, our adventures are not over. The journeys do not end here. The stories have not reached their close. As we sit here commemorating our journey through the faculty of arts we would do well to remember that, for many of us, our real adventures are only just starting.
Yes, in my heart I am glad to know that there will come a day in the future when we may all meet again. There will be a day when I can see us coming together at a common table to share in new stories, new adventures, new travels.
I see us comparing these new stamps in our passports, searching back through what will surely be the well-worn and well-traveled pages of the passports of our lives. Most importantly, we will be looking fondly at the stamp that says “UW Faculty of Arts, Class of 2005,” remembering the journey and the labours that put it there.
Before I step down from this podium and set my feet off onto yet another adventure, it seems to be my time-honoured valedictorian duty to leave you with one final quote. I have that quote from you today. I leave you with words from writer Ursula Le Guin:
“It is good to have an end to journey towards, but it is the journey that matters in the end.”
Thank you all, very much, for it has truly been an honour and a privilege to share in this wonderful journey with you all.
Sorry to hear you didn't get it. But look on the bright side. Now you can show up to graduation with a mickey under your robe! Or heaven forbid, a bikini!
It would be interesting to see the other speeches.
"Yes, it was judged by speech communication professors - so really, it was all about the presentation of the speech, and nothing else."
I'm sure you have taken speech comm. courses, or know others that have. If so, you would be well aware that many factors are evaluated in speeches. I understand that you are saying the evaluation process most likely had nothing to do with you as a person, but nonetheless, the speech comm. professors are well educated on how to properly assess a speech.
How long did it take you to write this?
"Yes, it was judged by speech communication professors - so really, it was all about the presentation of the speech, and nothing else."
I'm sure you have taken speech comm. courses, or know others that have. If so, you would be well aware that many factors are evaluated in speeches. I understand that you are saying the evaluation process most likely had nothing to do with you as a person, but nonetheless, the speech comm. professors are well educated on how to properly assess a speech.
How long did it take you to write this?
# posted by 
: 9:12 a.m.
: 9:12 a.m.
It was actually even more interesting to hear the other speeches.
I think you may be unnecessarily taking umbrage with my comments. Presentation of a speech can include the actual rhetorical tools used in the speech, etc. Of course it was more than merely voice, posture, etc.
It took a few hours, start to finish. The content was the easiest part, but I can be my own worst editor. I was still changing word choices right up until the morning of the speech. Why do you ask?
I think you may be unnecessarily taking umbrage with my comments. Presentation of a speech can include the actual rhetorical tools used in the speech, etc. Of course it was more than merely voice, posture, etc.
It took a few hours, start to finish. The content was the easiest part, but I can be my own worst editor. I was still changing word choices right up until the morning of the speech. Why do you ask?
I found your speech interesting, which is mostly why I asked. Also, out of pure interest. It would be interesting to see as well how the other nominated valedictorian's approached this task.
No doubt there are many factors that attribute to the difference of hearing a speech versus reading one. Rhetoric is about that very thing. To write how we speak is something that has been studied for years.
It is notable too that you found the content the easiest part. I would think it the other way around merely because the editing of a speech can be done last minute as you said. The content though, I would assume would take more than a few hours.
Nonetheless, kudos to your fine attempt.
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No doubt there are many factors that attribute to the difference of hearing a speech versus reading one. Rhetoric is about that very thing. To write how we speak is something that has been studied for years.
It is notable too that you found the content the easiest part. I would think it the other way around merely because the editing of a speech can be done last minute as you said. The content though, I would assume would take more than a few hours.
Nonetheless, kudos to your fine attempt.
# posted by : 2:13 p.m.
: 2:13 p.m. << Home
