2022 sal speeches, Wylie's Kalla: Remember who helped you get to today
Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Nitin Kalla, and welcome to the graduation ceremony for the class of 2022. We made it.
I want to start off by welcoming everyone who is in attendance tonight. Whether you are a relative or a friend, I’m glad that you are able to join us during one of the largest and most important celebrations of our life. I also would like to thank the staff for putting up with our constant disrespect and still managing to show up every day.
Lastly, I want to say thank you to a few people in particular.
My lovely mother, who threatened to send me to boarding school in India every time I made below a 98, and my fear of her is the reason that I am standing before you guys today.
My handsome father, who locked me out of the house last week because he didn’t realize that I left.
And my brother, who stood on a stage exactly five years ago giving the valedictorian speech, something I couldn't do.
But he’s 5 foot 7 and I’m 6 feet, so it cancels out.
I would also like to congratulate every graduate sitting both behind and in front of me who all managed to somehow pass, whether it be with or without the use of Photomath and Socratic. Seriously though, congrats. We managed to make it to the finish line.
I remember seeing our graduation year for the first time in the eighth grade when we first received our school usernames and thinking this day would never come, and after a long four years, it is finally here. From everyone getting lost on the first day of high school, to getting our licenses and being threatened after accidentally parking in the senior parking lot, to finally graduating, we have had some pretty memorable days.
But I think it is the memories we made in between that really counted. The long-lasting friendships that we’ve managed to build. The amount of memories that all 264 of us have created together is astonishing and honestly, I’m surprised some of the friendships in this crowd even managed to last this long.
It’s going to be weird not waking up to my dad blasting Indian music on his phone, but I’m sure most of you guys will agree with me when I say it is time for some change.
We’ve all worked hard and put in a lot of time (some more than others), and no matter the path that you follow, whether it be joining the workforce, continuing your education, or joining the military, I trust that you guys will manage and ultimately succeed. However, remember who helped you get to where you are today.
As Drake said, “We always ignore the ones who adore us, and adore the ones who ignore us.”
Your parents are probably crying right now. Give them a hug or something after this. Say it’s from me.
I also want you guys to follow your passions but not to stress too much about the future or worry about the past. Just have fun and live in the moment. If there is one thing that I have learned from high school, it is that counting down the days until certain dates just makes everyday feel like eternity.
As Rick Ross said, “Forget yesterday, live for today. Tomorrow will take care of itself.” Nothing ever goes according to plan. Just try your best, and I guarantee that you will find happiness along the way. I’m sure y’all have heard the corny saying, “Aim for the moon and if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.”
Lastly, as we all enter this next chapter of our lives, remember this speech anytime you’re feeling down on yourself, and in the wise words of Mac Miller, “I just graduated high school.”
Thank you all for your time, remember to be kind and respectful to others, and it truly was great to be a Wylie Bulldog!
— Nitin Kalla, Wylie High salutatorian
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Wylie's Kalla: Remember who helped you get to today
