On May 26, I had the pleasure of attending the graduation ceremony for the Edwin Parr Composite students at the Athabasca Regional Multiplex.
And I'm not sure if anyone realizes this, but this year marks the last group of people who were born in the 20th century. That's right – the people who turn 18 this year were born in Y2K. For those of you unfamiliar with that term, the year 2000. So, next year starts the first group of graduates born in the 21st century, in the year 2001.
That was the year I myself graduated high school. That's right – in 2001, I walked up and got my high school diploma at the RJ Lalonde Arena as part of that year's Grade 12 class in Bonnyville Centralized High School.
But back then, I had no idea what I wanted to do. I took a couple of years off, doing some academic upgrading and working at the McDonald's in Cold Lake when I went to Cooking School at Portage Collage in Lac La Biche in 2004. After several years as a cook, I found I really wanted to do something else, as I felt tired and trapped while being in the profession. And as well, I felt that my life really wasn't getting anywhere.
As Brian Potts, EPC's English teacher, said in his guest speaker's address May 26, as an adult you have to accept the fact that no one – absolutely no one – is responsible for your happiness other than you. And Mr. Potts is absolutely right. In our seemingly shared opinion, it's never too late to do what you love, and whatever makes you happy.
That's why I went back to school, graduated from Western Academy Broadcasting College in Saskatoon, and began my career as a reporter. First in radio, then in newspaper.
For those students who have not really decided what they want to do with their lives, take your time. There's no rush. Just think about what makes you happy. If you want to travel, do it. I wish I did that before I went to school. Because once life starts, it goes by pretty fast. Believe me.
Getting back to Potts' speech, if he ever gets tired of teaching, he'd have quite the career as a stand-up comedian. Parts of his speech sure kept me laughing really hard, especially the parts where he reminisced about once having hair, his troublesome roommates, or kissing that teenage metabolism goodbye. This guy sure knows how to tell a story. I can certainly see why the students really like him.
For my final thought, I'd just like to say that at 34, I can tell you that life is short. As you get older, it moves by pretty quick. So live the moment, and do what it is that makes you happy. I know that I will.
