Find Your Path

Dear class of 2026, who would’ve known we’d make it this far. I’d like to start by thanking all staff and faculty at Oak Hill High School for pushing us and giving us the opportunity to pursue this goal in life. I’d also like to thank all my family and friends for not only being there for me when I needed it the most, but pushing me everyday to be the person I am today. Although I only spent 4 years in high school (almost more), each and everyone of you has impacted me from the first day of freshman year. Wow, they weren’t lying when they said it’d go by fast. 

When I first heard about the big senior speech I’d have to write during the most important time of my life, I’d have to admit I was terrified. I spent weeks, months, even all four years of high school just thinking about what I would possibly write about. And no, nothing crossed my mind. As I first sat down to write this speech, I might’ve fallen asleep. Next, I went on tiktok for some inspiration, and you can guess how that ended up (I spent the next couple hours scrolling until I fell asleep, again). I started to panic knowing the due date for this was coming up. So I went and watched the best movie ever created, Moana. For those of you that don’t know, Moana is about a young girl from an island who loves the ocean. When her people face danger and their island life starts to fade, she sets out on a daring journey across the sea to find a legendary demigod named Maui. Together, they work to restore the heart of Te Fiti, and save their people. Just like Moana, we as graduates are about to set off onto a new journey. A path where we’ll face doubts or fears, but need to trust ourselves and keep going when things seem hard. Moana’s courage to explore the unknown and beliefs in her abilities inspire me to take the next step with confidence and determination, and should inspire you all too. So go, be like Moana and find your path, chase your dreams, and better yourself and everyone around you. Or, you know, be like Hei Hei and live your life with a little trouble. 

Growing up, I’ve never really had a dream…besides being rich. In elementary school when asked, “what do you want to be when you grow up”, I always had a different answer, or no answer at all. Believe it or not, I still don’t know. I’ve spent years trying to answer the big question of “who are you?” and “who do you want to become?”. Now, standing up here with all of you, I understand it. The joys of graduating, winning a sports game, being recognized for your hard work, and finding your people are what forced you to become YOU. The regrets of failing, being bullied, missing out on opportunities, and fear have forced you to become YOU. These endless memories, good and bad, have shaped each and every one of us into who we are today. Failing at something such as my sport brought me down more then I can explain. Yet, after countless days of wondering how to get better, showed me that it’s not what happens to you, but how you overcome it. This goes for positive situations too, such as winning a tough game against a team we never thought we’d beat. That feeling of success and all the effort paying off is what shaped me. Good or bad, regrets and successes, you have to move on to continue growing. Whether you want to find your path and chase after your dreams like Moana, or be free and let things come your way like Hei Hei, you’ll always find a way. Although, you’ll never know how far you’ll go, but that’s the journey you need. 

Now, to backtrack on my journey throughout the years, high school was A LOT. At the start, I was afraid of the upperclassmen, new teammates I’d have in sports, the very intimidating classes… and teachers of course. My first year was mostly a blur. I did the work, kept my close friends, and was still quiet and scared. Sophomore year came along and that’s when things changed. I was forced to get out of my comfort zone. My friend group fell apart, the work got harder, my mindset changed, and I was lost. Everyone has one year of high school that changes their perspective on the world. For me, it was Sophomore year. Or so I thought. Junior year came around and it was completely different. I was now an upperclassmen, captain for field hockey, made new friends, and definitely not quiet anymore. Junior summer was full of endless memories that I’ll keep until the day I die. But it was over in the blink of an eye. Just like that, the year I’ve waited my whole life for has finally come. But it was nothing like I’d imagined it would be. Sophomore year was just a trailer for what happened my senior year. Missing work, late to class or not going at all, out every night, and many many visits to the office. Although you may think I regret it, which I mostly do, I wouldn’t be here without those bad choices. They’ve taught me many valuable lessons such as responsibility, growth, and accountability. When I crashed my car, all three times, I’ve now learned the responsibility I need to have in order to keep my license… and a drivable vehicle. Reflecting on the past shouldn’t make you regret it, but learn from it, just like I did. From this, I’ve learned to not take anything for granted because, “you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory” (Dr. Seuss).

We often look to others for inspiration or comparison, but at the end of the day we each have a unique journey. Whether that’s looking at the past and how we got here, who we are right now, or who we’ll soon become. Your mistakes don’t define you, but the path you took to get here will shape you beyond what you see. So, live your life to the fullest, be like Hei Hei and get into a little trouble while you still can, but be like Moana and find your path in the end. Thank you. 

“Wood Planks on Path to Ocean” by Image Catalog is marked with CC0 1.0.