Samip Phuyal, honors speaker, addressed the Arlington High School commencement on June 3, 2023.
Good afternoon and welcome all friends, family, alumni and esteemed faculty members. First of all, I want to congratulate the class of 2023. We made it. I remember when we first got our Spy Ponders emails, and 2023 seemed so far in the future, but we’re finally here.
Today, we celebrate our achievements over the last four years, reflect on the journey that led us to this moment, and look forward to the endless possibilities that lie ahead.
This class is nothing short of remarkable. We’ve excelled academically, brought home numerous awards and titles, and most importantly, worked incredibly hard to get to where we are now.
With that being said, it’s easy to put high school behind us and charge forward into the future with the excitement of college on the horizon. However, it is important to reflect on and have gratitude for our successes and our failures, because it is the culmination of these experiences that have shaped us into resilient individuals, ready to take on whatever is next.
Instead of leaving it in the past, let’s take a second to look back and be grateful for the countless hours spent studying, the late nights fueled by determination, the challenges that seemed insurmountable at times and the last-minute assignments powered by ChatGPT. These last four years we’ve faced rejection, failure and lost loved ones, but through it all, we moved forward.
While our time in high school was difficult, we made the most of every moment. Whether it was playing video games in the media center, chirping the opposing teams at our hockey or football games or waiting outside people’s houses for two hours to shoot them with a water gun just to get ratted out by one of our friends, we always knew how to have fun.
As we enter the next stage of our lives, we’ll each go our separate ways, but let’s continue to find joy in every moment as we’ve done so well throughout high school. Years can feel like seconds, and life’s too short to sweat the small stuff, so let’s be grateful for every part of the journey, the ups and the downs, because they make us who we are.
Before I end, I want to take a moment to share the story of my uncle who passed away back in March. His family is in the audience now.
He emigrated from Nepal on his own back in 2001, making the impossible decision to leave his family behind to pursue his education. He got degrees from Quincy College and Cambridge College, and built a life for his family when they eventually emigrated nine years later.
He helped both of my parents move to the United States as well, and was like a second father to me. His sacrifice and willingness to help others is the reason I’m giving this speech and graduating from Arlington High School today.
I speak on behalf of all of us graduating today when I thank all of our families for being here. We’re grateful, for your unwavering support, and for the sacrifices you’ve made that allowed us to receive an education. Grateful, for the teachers, coaches, and mentors, who challenged us and believed in us, even if we didn’t always believe in ourselves. Grateful, for the bonds we created, and the lessons you taught us along the way. We do not take you or this moment for granted.
Thank you, and once again, congratulations to the class of 2023.
This expression of opinion at the 2023 Arlington High School commencement was published Sunday, June 4, 2022.
