“Don’t waste a second”
“It will be gone in a flash”
“It will never be just like this”
“Hold on to now while you can”
“You’ll miss them when they are gone”
“These will be the best moments of your life”
And they were right! Because before I could blink all I could think was… WOW, we are done.
Not done with learning, as that is an ever evolving phenomenon our lives are constantly in immersed in. Not done with socializing, as the pool to do just that is about to be unimaginably deeper. Certainly not done with achieving, we are just getting started.
But we are done with scrambling for fifty naira to buy a pack at the cafeteria, and nestling into the nearest table after accepting the lack thereof. Done with the events and clubs that rejuvenate the campus life, and all the memories they make up. We are done with being just rooms away from our friends who in times of emotional distress or academic crisis were right there. We are done here.
In some ways, AUN welcomed us all like children at a carnival. We were wide-eyed, eager and curious. The “rides”-our courses, the “games”- extracurriculars, the “puzzles”- the interactions, the “prizes”- of course our grades, were all exciting. But the journey through it all, with the ultimate choice of how the adventure would pan out being in our hands, was easily the best part. We were introduced to interactive classes on more topics than there are people in this room. We were emboldened to take up responsibility by being a part of student government, the Women’s Leadership Council, the Honor Society, among others. We were encouraged to explore ourselves outside the confines of academics by joining the dance crew, theatre club, the Campus Activities Board or participating in sports. We were dared to shed our privilege in an effort to place the development work of AUN and Adamawa State in the forefront through our commitment to community service. There was something for everyone. For some, AUN was a home away from home. For others, it was the home they never had. For me, AUN was the ultimate journey of self-discovery. Elenor Roosevelt said “I am who I am today because of the choices I made yesterday”. That is my story here.
If you had told me then that I would be graduating as the President of the Honor Society and Head tutor of the writing center, I would not have believed you. Not because I did not think I was capable, but because I didn’t know then that I would be interested. I did not know a lot about myself. Being here thrusted me into situations, opportunities and conversations that sculpted me into the version of myself that is standing before you today. That is what happens when you pass through an institution such as this one. You grow. The growth of the outgoing class of 2023 is nothing short of remarkable. Here, we have the best, the brightest, the most resourceful and the most innovative set of individuals. We are the next line of critical and creative thinkers, and next generation of problem solvers. There is no doubt in my mind that names from this class will be called on global stages in different fields, mark my words.
To those who made it possible for us to be here, parents, guardians and everyone in between, Thank you for trusting and believing that we could.
To our teachers, thank you. Not just for well thought out lectures and invaluable advice, not just for the outside classroom banter and informative slides. Thank you for caring. You cared about us, our grades and our future even when we didn’t. You showed us the difference between teaching and impacting.
Dear class of 2023, Work hard. Enthusiasm is common, but how rare is effort? Put in the work. The same sky we were told is the limit is only the launch pad for the rocket that is how far we are willing to go. Pele, the Brazilian soccer player, said that "success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing."
Another thing, do not be scared! Navigate the world boldly. As boldly as a sailor who has a compass tattooed on his heart and who harbors the raging winds in his spirit. Do not shy away from opportunities. By doing that, you deny the world of greatness by failing to actualize your potential. We are done with the safety net that allowed us to make as many mistakes as we needed to make to allow us be the people we needed to be. But we are now the people we need to be. There is something you and only you have to offer. Remember that.
You should also remember that we are one. As the curtains close and the lights dim on our time here, we can’t forget everyone we have encountered. It is the blood, sweat and tears that we have commonly shared, that has cemented our bond in the sands of time. We have overcome a lot together and it has truly been a ride. We came, we saw, we conquered has never held more meaning for us than it does today. Here’s to the class of 2023, we are conquerors!
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