Commencement Address | Chelsea Cook ‘08
Chelsea Cook, an OA graduate from the class of 2008 was invited back to OA to give the commencement address for the class of 2023 graduation on June 4th. The following is her speech she shared with the class of 2023 and all of the attendees of the graduation.
“Faculty members, proud parents and family members, friends, and most importantly, the remarkable graduates of the class of 2023, you did it! You are officially done with high school forever! It's such an honor to stand before you today as we celebrate YOU - the culmination of years of hard work, dedication and perseverance.
As we stand here to celebrate this milestone in your lives, it's important for me to acknowledge the extraordinary challenges that you have faced during the relentless era of COVID-19. The pandemic reshaped our world, leaving no aspect of our lives untouched, including your education and mine. I started my graduate program during COVID so I can empathize with how these past few years have affected all of us. Faculty and students, you navigated uncharted waters, grappling with uncertainty, and confronting numerous obstacles that threatened to derail your future and your dreams. Hallways that once echoed with laughter and camaraderie were silent, classrooms were empty, and the faces of our friends, schoolmates, mentors and teachers were just pixels on a screen. But through it all, we preserved, when many others did not. In the face of cancelled extracurricular activities, postponed events, way too many virtual events, missed opportunities, isolation, anger, and sadness, we preserved. Let us take a moment to reflect on the resilience and strength that we all gained throughout this journey - you have proven that you possess the adaptability and perseverance to thrive in the face of adversity. Your time in high school was unlike anything anyone could have anticipated, but yet it has molded you into people who are now uniquely equipped to face the challenges that lie ahead. May the difficulties you overcame during your highschool years serve as a reminder that you are capable of achieving greatness even in the face of the most formidable obstacles, no matter where you may go after leaving this chapel.
Today you stand at the threshold of a new chapter in your lives as you will now venture into the great unknown. I was in your seats 15 years ago and today I see a reflection of my own journey. I remember the mixture of excitement and fear as I left highschool totally unsure of who I was, what I wanted, or what the future held for me. You see, life has a funny way of throwing us curveballs, good and bad, of leading us down unexpected paths. For many of us, the question of what we want to do with our lives remains a daunting puzzle - but I'm here to tell you that it is okay to not have all the answers, it's ok to be unsure and feel lost and overwhelmed by all of the possibilities that lie before you.
If you would have told me when I was your age that I would work in management at a pharmaceutical company, that I would live in several different countries, and have an MBA from a top program, I would have laughed in your face and probably snorted. I had no idea what I wanted to do when I was graduating from high school and picked a major based on the class I hated the least. I struggled adjusting to college, and made too many mistakes to count - some trivial and some life changing. But I wouldn't be the person I am today if I hadn't preserved through those mistakes - I will continue to make mistakes and how I rebound from those will define the type of person I become.
You may ask, how did I actually persevere through these mistakes and become who I am today? Three virtues have been my guiding light throughout my journey, and today, I want to share with you why they are so essential, particularly when I have found myself at a crossroad: these values are authenticity, curiosity, and tenacity and they have helped me to always keep going and have helped me continue to find my purpose and to ultimately be happy.
AUTHENTICITY In a world dominated by social media that tries to mold us into replicas of others and sway our beliefs and feelings, we must learn how to stay true to ourselves. We have encountered countless expectations, pressures and temptations to conform. Yet it is when we embrace our authentic selves that we are happiest, radiating our unique talents, ideas and perspectives. Each of you has a distinctive voice, even if it's a voice you haven't discovered yet - and it's a voice that deserves to be heard, cherished, and celebrated. Authenticity is a skill that must be developed and requires courage - the courage to stand up for our beliefs, to embrace our weirdness, and to be comfortable with who we are. Authenticity is an ongoing journey, it takes time, self-reflection, and practice. I want you to ask yourself: What matters to you? What makes you happy? What are your beliefs and values? How do you like to spend your time? What makes you feel alive? Explore what brings meaning and purpose to your life by doing activities, hobbies, and pursuits that align with your passions, that align with what makes you happy. This will help you find your purpose and I am on a continuous journey of finding my own. We must all take risks to find out what makes us happy and realize that this can change, and likely will change as we continue to grow and develop. It took me years of practice, but now I never sacrifice who I am or what I believe to fit into a mold I thought I needed to fit, and this is risky, especially in corporate America, but it's what I must to do to stay true to myself and to be happy. As you step out into the vast unknown of the future, discover and embrace your true self, expressing your values, thoughts and feelings, understanding that they may likely change as you do. The world deserves to know who you are and the role you play in it.
CURIOSITY I truly believe that the world is a playground of knowledge and experiences waiting to be explored. Curiosity fuels my thirst for learning, for growth, and for making an impact. Embrace the unknown with open arms, for it is in the pursuit of knowledge and exploration that we truly discover our passions. By seeking new experiences and knowledge, we develop new skills, meet new people and broaden our understanding of the world. Ask a lot of questions, seek mentors and guidance, immerse yourself in as many new experiences as you can and meet as many new and different people as you can. I have switched many companies and many jobs because I knew I wasn't reaching my potential because my curiosity was lost, I lost interest. When you find yourself not able to be curious anymore, not caring anymore, pivot and try something else. You could be a bartender in your 20s, an engineer in your 30s, and entrepreneur in 40s, and a teacher in your 50s - this possibility is exciting to me, and I hope is exciting to you too. Let curiosity be the compass that guides you towards your purpose. This growth will not only increase your capability, but also increase your confidence and satisfaction in life.
And lastly TENACITY: The journey towards self-discovery is not always easy, in fact it's so incredibly difficult at times. There has been and will be obstacles and setbacks along the way, moments of doubt, frustration, abandonment, confusion and anger. Tenacity is the unwavering determination to persevere, to pick ourselves up when we fall, and to continue forging ahead in the face of adversity. Especially the past two years, there have been many times that I just wanted to run away, to give up, to quit, but I knew that this temporary pain, those sleepless nights, would be worth it: for that acceptance letter, for that promotion, for that relationship. Embrace challenges as opportunities for growth, and let your curiosity be the force that propels you forward, no matter how difficult the path may seem. And if you remember anything from this, there is always light at the end of the tunnel - you just have to choose to see it.
As you leave this high school ready to start your adult lives, remember that the beauty of life lies not only in the destination but in the process of self-discovery. Embrace the uncertainty, be authentic, curious, and be tenacious so you can continue to discover who you are, find your true purpose, and be happy. It is not the certainty of our future that defines us, but the choices we make, the lessons we choose to learn, and the people we meet along the way.
So graduates, go forth into the unknown with courage, with hope and with the belief that your authentic selves, fueled by curiosity and tenacity will shape a future that exceeds anything you could have imagined. And as Dr. Suess says: "You have brains in your head, you have feet in your shoes, You can steer yourself any direction you choose."
