Editor’s note: Sunday morning, May 19, the Evanston Township High School Class of 2024 celebrated its commencement with a ceremony held at Northwestern’s Welsh-Ryan Arena. Click here to read the keynote address from Daniel Poneman. Every spring, students interested in speaking at graduation can submit a writing, poem or musical selection ahead of time, and senior Mia Muñoz won the honor this year. (Senior class soloist Denise Bias also sang Miley Cyrus’ “The Climb” at the 58:40 mark of this recording.) Below is the full text of Muñoz‘s speech.
Hello everyone.
Everything happens for a reason. I used to hate this saying and would be hurt when something slightly wrong happened in my life. However, if you dive deep and look on the bright side, obstacles can have a positive effect.
People come in and out of our lives. The lessons we learn and the special bonds we make along the way are crucial. As Marilyn Monroe once said, ‘I believe everything happens for a reason. People change, so you can learn to let go. Things go wrong, so you can appreciate them when they are right. Sometimes good things fall apart, so better things can fall together.’
Whenever you’re discouraged about an obstacle that comes your way or overthink about what your future holds, I encourage you to think about that quote.
For the past two years, we have thought about nothing but our future, being questioned by counselors and past teachers about what our post-high school plans are. Before my junior year, when I looked ahead, I thought about furnishing my apartment, gaining independence and, of course, the bundles of money I was already claiming to have.
Now, I think about how our future is full of possibilities and filled with great opportunities to look forward to. The future can be intimidating, but it’s important to embrace the changes coming our way. I’m still far too young to be offering educated advice. I don’t know a lot. But what I do know is that I’m scared but also excited to be entering a new chapter in my life, as I’m sure many of us are. Whatever you may be feeling, just know you’re not alone in any way.
As important as the future is, at times we may have focused too much on what’s ahead instead of what’s happening right in front of us. Instead of focusing on tomorrow, next week, or the next four years, focus on how you can make today memorable, because today will quickly turn into tomorrow.
This also correlates with the way we can sometimes are worth thinking about the past. Don’t let the past haunt you. That’s something we cannot change. If you did badly on a test, use that to do better on the next, and if you lost a friend, focus on how you can make stronger bonds with the people that really matter.
Living in the moment is a choice. Don’t focus on what cannot be changed, but what you can change. Right now, I encourage you to live in the moment. We have grown so much, from our parents watching us take our first steps and now watching us take our first steps into adulthood.
Today’s a significant occasion that is just the beginning of all of our amazing accomplishments. After all, that is what a commencement is. We may have fallen, and might have gotten to the point where we told ourselves, ‘I can’t do this.’ Nevertheless, we can, and we did.
As we enter a new road, learn to take advantage of the opportunities and challenges that come your way. Embrace the positives that life has to give you. Class of 2024, when you walk out those doors today, remember to live in the moment. Whatever happens, happens for a reason, and that it was to make you stronger, because we are all so strong and capable of so much. Thank you and congratulations.
ETHS commencement 2024: Senior class remarks from Mia Muñoz is from Evanston RoundTable, Evanston's most trusted source for unbiased, in-depth journalism.