Commencement Speech Given by Jennifer Lawrence

Beloved graduates, I am standing before you today to congratulate you on your successes

so far. Today you will graduate and receive a degree-awarding you for your hard work over these

past few years. While it did consist of long nights, excessive hair loss, and overflowing amounts

of student debt, it also consisted of irreplaceable knowledge, strong relationships with your

professors and peers, and memories that you will hold onto until you’re at your grave. You are

receiving a degree to congratulate you on your hard work and devotion to this school. Southern

Utah University thanks you, President Wyatt Congratulates you, and I am standing here before

you today to encourage you to keep pressing forward.

This is the end of a chapter in your life, but it is not the end of your life in general. Now, I

know that some of you may feel that way, you may be wondering what’s next. Do I have to

choose my career now? Do I go on to get my Master’s or my Doctorate’s now? Do I move back

in with my parents now? All of these are great questions to ask yourself, but you also have to

remember that this is not the end for you. It is merely the beginning of the next best thing in your

life. Your life is just beginning!

Just because you are graduating from college does not mean that you have to go with the

flow for the rest of your life and hop into the common lifestyle that everyone else seems to be

living. Maybe you went to college because you weren’t sure what to do with your life, or maybe

you went because you do know what you want to do with your life, but either way college is over

and you have the opportunity to pursue your dreams and create the life that you’ve always

wanted to live now with no excuses. You can book a one-way ticket to Europe and explore the

Swiss Alps, or you can create that blog that you always wanted to start, but never had enough

time for, or you can pursue that dream career that needed a bachelor’s degree. You can do so
much with the rest of your life, and you should, because who knows if you’ll wake up tomorrow

or not? You need to start living like every day is your last day on this earth.

I’m sure that once you start living as if you’re going to die, that you’ll have a much

happier life, a much more spontaneous life, a much more adventurous life. The life that you have

dreamed of but never had the courage to go after is waiting for you, and the only thing that’s

getting in the way is you and your excuses. If you say you don’t have enough time, make time. If

you say you don’t have enough money, find a better job that pays more money. If you say that

you’re not qualified enough for the job then you better get the training you need, or train your

mindset to become more confident. You need to believe in yourself.

It is a common concept to go and get a 9-5 job right out of college, but a lot of people in

this new generation are looking for the next best thing. And I am here to tell you that you don’t

have to get a 9-5 job right now, you don’t have to know what you want for your career right now,

or who you’re going to marry or how many children you’re going to have in the future. Just

because you are done with college now does not mean that you have to keep moving forward at

the speed of light onto the next thing. You deserve a break after giving years of your time, and

your money away. It’s okay to take a break from the constant go, go, go and just breathe.

You have been working hard for years on end to study for exams, turn in homework on

time and cramp the readings from the textbook in the night before the quiz. I know how college

is. It can be a nightmare at times, keeping you from the fun, the happy, and the good times, but

look at all of you. You made it out alive with some hair still standing, and decent skin. You are

all amazing and I hope that you feel amazing about what you are here for today. I hope that you

can look back on your accomplishments from these few years and pat yourself on the back. You

are awesome, and you did it. You already have so much under your belt. But don’t stop now,
take a break, but don’t stop completely. You may be burnt out and need some time to rejuvenate

but keep looking forward with your life, and decide your dreams and your passions. Take time

now that you’re done with college to sit down and ponder what you really want for your life.

You may want to do something crazy or spectacular, and what better time than to do it now in

the gap between the graduation of college and the next best thing.

The importance of moving forward is lost to many, but I hope it’s not lost to you. You are

unique individuals, and you have all accomplished so much. I stand before you today to

congratulate you on coming this far in your lives. Though it is the end of this chapter, it is also

the beginning of something wonderful. I encourage all of you to chase your dreams like I did

mine and become successful and happy doing what you love.

Thank you for your time.