#commencement

A commencement is a time of joy. It is also a time of melancholy. But then again, so is life. ↗

— Paul Tsongas

#also #commencement #joy #life #melancholy

It was a myth that's often perpetuated at commencement that holds that only hope and promise lie beyond the halls of academe. Don't worry, be happy. Everything is fine. ↗

— Paul Tsongas

#be happy #beyond #commencement #everything #fine

The commencement speech is not, I think, a wholly satisfactory manifestation of our culture. ↗

— John Kenneth Galbraith

#culture #i #i think #manifestation #our

A graduation ceremony is an event where the commencement speaker tells thousands of students dressed in identical caps and gowns that 'individuality' is the key to success. ↗

— Robert Orben

#caps #ceremony #commencement #dressed #event

The whole of that part of Southern Africa which is controlled by racial minorities is experiencing either consistent and regular guerilla activity or is faced with advanced preparation for its commencement. ↗

— Joe Slovo

#advanced #africa #commencement #consistent #controlled

The year 1826 was remarkable for the commencement of one of those fearful droughts to which we have reason to believe the climate of New South Wales is periodically subject. ↗

— Charles Sturt

#climate #commencement #droughts #fearful #new

Commencement speeches were invented largely in the belief that outgoing college students should never be released into the world until they have been properly sedated. ↗

— Garry Trudeau

#belief #college #college students #commencement #into

When we were five, they asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up. Our answers were thing like astronaut, president, or in my case… princess. When we were ten, they asked again and we answered - rock star, cowboy, or in my case, gold medalist. But now that we've grown up, they want a serious answer. Well, how 'bout this: who the hell knows?! This isn't the time to make hard and fast decisions, its time to make mistakes. Take the wrong train and get stuck somewhere chill. Fall in love - a lot. Major in philosophy 'cause there's no way to make a career out of that. Change your mind. Then change it again, because nothing is permanent. So make as many mistakes as you can. That way, someday, when they ask again what we want to be… we won't have to guess. We'll know. [from the movie] ↗

— Stephenie Meyer

#graduation #change

We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better. ↗

— J.K. Rowling

#harvard-commencement-speech #imagination #magic #change

Have you ever seen the dawn? Not a dawn groggy with lack of sleep or hectic with mindless obligations and you about to rush off on an early adventure or business, but full of deep silence and absolute clarity of perception? A dawning which you truly observe, degree by degree. It is the most amazing moment of birth. And more than anything it can spur you to action. Have a burning day. ↗

— Vera Nazarian

#birth #commencement #dawn #day #inspiration