The Pencil Sharpener

My freshman Speaking and Listening class had just ended at CSU Monterey Bay (CSUMB). After closing their laptops and slipping them into their backpacks, my students reached up and manually reactivated the buds that had never left their ears, unmuted their cellphones, checked their Apple watches, and departed the classroom, taking all their joyful energy and their electronics with them.

They left behind two things. 1. An anachronism in the form of a lonely pencil sharpener I noticed, for the first time, attached to the wall in the back of the classroom. The spiderweb draped across it, complete with spider, said it all. They also left me sitting there stunned in their absence, the sound of their voices still hanging on the air, and the maturity and wisdom in their words as I worked to absorb who they are, at 18, through their messaging.

Today, my freshmen students got up in front of God and everyone and delivered their final exam, their graduation speech, to their classmates. A projection, as if they were seniors. As if they had invested four or five or more years of their lives on this campus and were now commencing into the next chapter of their young-adult lives.

And the thing is, it sounded as if they were. Graduating. I will share snippets with you, so you can see what I mean. You’re welcome.

Gabriela: Before college, my perception of it was completely based on movies. I thought it would be huge frat parties, nonstop drama, and somehow everyone magically having their life together. And honestly, maybe parts of that are true, but college is definitely not as glamorous as movies make it seem. It’s not “Pitch Perfect.” It’s stressful, exhausting, and sometimes incredibly lonely. Ironically, some people’s immaturity can even make it feel like high school all over again. But despite all of that, college turned out to be one of the most meaningful experiences of my life.

Jenna: One shouldn’t choose a university based on their mascot. As adorable as the otter is.

Tyler: Growing up, I never thought too far into the future. Not because I was arrogant or lazy, but because, deep down, I honestly didn’t think I would make it this far. Depressing, I know, but it’s the truth. And if growing into the adult I am today has taught me anything, it’s that being authentic to yourself matters more than pretending to have everything figured out. A lot of us spend so much time comparing ourselves to others that we forget how much strength it takes just to keep going.

Catherine: I have realized that growth doesn’t just announce itself clearly. It can show up as confusion, discomfort, and the decision to keep trying again every day. That is what this journey has been. It is a long series of showing up and choosing to try to keep going every day. And so, my message is simple for you today: Resilience is not a quality we are born with. It is the community we build, a mindset we practice, and a choice, one we make, over and over again. That we are here today, in our cap and gown, proves that we know how to choose resilience.

Emily: We can never expect to do everything perfectly, like getting an A on every assignment or getting the job opportunity every time. But what we can count on, having realized this during our time at CSUMB, is that we can pursue our dreams and do our best. We have jumped over hurdles and climbed over hills to get to this point, achievements that didn’t come without challenges we had to overcome and adapt to. But what this taught us is, if we can do this, we can do anything we set our mind to. And that’s worth the toss of a mortarboard.

Ashlynn: Start conversations. Be the one to reach out. Say “yes” more often. Be willing. Be willing to take down walls and embrace connection. Also, be willing to say no. Keep your boundaries. Trust your instinct. Live in the moment. Don’t let the fear of doing something hold you back from the potential outcome. Ask more questions. Fake it until you make it.

Leave room to forgive and embrace yourself, and stay true to how you feel. It’s cliche, but the saying, “It’s not about the destination, but the journey,” is often true. And I want to tell you guys something my professor here, Lisa Crawford Watson, once said, that stuck with me and, I’m sure, many others: “Remember who you are and what you represent.” Do that. Stay true to who you are.

Bryce: The main point I am delivering to all of you today can best be summed up by a quote from a movie about everyone’s favorite honey-loving bear, Winnie the Pooh. At one point, Christopher Robin encourages Pooh, telling him, “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” There are many quotes and topics I could have chosen to speak to you about today, but this quote in particular resonated with me for many of the reasons I described in this speech. I have had this quote pinned on the bulletin board in my room for as long as I can remember. But, ironically, perhaps, until I got to college, I hadn’t fully embraced the meaning of this childhood quote.

Jasmine: I stand before you today to celebrate our relentless perseverance and grit throughout not just our college years, but rather, our entire school career. While some might pursue professions, others will further their education, or a few may take a pause off academics entirely to truly find themselves—we all have something in common: Change. And the thing about change is that it is guaranteed. And maybe that’s the point. Because one day, we’ll look back on this moment—not as the end of something familiar, but as the beginning of everything we have yet to become.

My freshmen students led with gratitude, progressed into realizations, closed with a charge they offered their peers. And then they left the room, taking all their courage and exuberance, enthusiasm, intentions, and young wisdom with them, as well as their electronics.