Having just completed writing my GED valedictorian speech, which I will be delivering this Thursday evening, I have come to reflect for a moment upon all through which I have gone throughout the 16 years since I dropped out of high school. While there have certainly been a handful of impressive highs, I have also experienced many lows, some of which can honestly be tied to my lack of formal education all those years. While my entrepreneurial spirit, combined with my knack for closing the deal (when it comes to products and services in which I truly believe) kept me afloat for quite some time despite my total lack of educational credentials, I indeed missed out on many an opportunity which not only would’ve benefited me on a superficial (read: financial) level, but could have very well allowed me to more effectively pursue my own creative and professional visions.
Now, with both a high school diploma, and one full year of college to my credit (no pun intended), I definitely find myself on a biscuit train with gravy wheels (yes, that was intentional) as I continue to expand my horizons via the vast quantities of knowledge I am continually gaining. Yes, there was a time when, despite my never-ending quest for skills and knowledge acquired entirely through my own volition, I truly believed that formal education simply was not for me. The combination of being mostly under-fucking-whelmed academically throughout public school, my personal disdain towards the idea of spending my life in a corporate work environment, and my position as a dangerous outsider found to be downright intimidating where most teachers and fellow students were concerned reinforced this ideal deep into my subconscious. Besides, it wasn’t as if I was ever an unintelligent individual: I knew all my basics, devoted much time to the arts, learned as much (if not more) about business than many people holding college degrees in the discipline, and have executed a hell of a lot of writing. And the lack of formal education played well into my young adult stance as a self-styled, rock & roll bad boy (which, now that I read that back, comes off as incredibly short-sighted and ignorant on my part), so there you have it.
I should mention a couple of points which also contributed to my delayed resumption of going to school, and both are college-related. For the longest time, I had no idea that I could actually attend college (and on a full-time basis, no less) without spending any money out of pocket. I never really understood the details of acquiring student loans, and knew absolutely nothing about grants (Pell, or otherwise), as no one ever bothered to inform me of all this, and I sure as fuck wasn’t going to research it on my own (which will be explained by my second point). In fact, about 12 years ago, I entertained the idea of enrolling into an art school in Denver to pursue a degree plan which was very similar to the one for which I am halfway through at the moment. Due to what I have learned since then, I do not exaggerate in the slightest when I say that the advisor to whom I spoke totally dropped the ball in getting me to enroll. In a nutshell, she never even broached the subject of financial aid, and left me under the impression that I would have to somehow bankroll the entire tuition and other expenses from my own pocket, while being responsible for my own survival at the same time. In hindsight, this woman is pretty much a worthless piece of shit in my opinion, and should not be allowed anywhere near a higher learning institution, but I digress…
The other point to be made is that I had absolutely no idea that there were so many options when it came to pursuing a degree in my chosen discipline of film and video production. With the exception of expensive film schools on the coasts, and the aforementioned art school in Denver, I was under the impression that the only degree plans available at most colleges were based upon studies which would lead to (for my purposes) incredibly unappealing careers in accounting, middle-management, and the like. Filmmaking is, of course, a practice which has long held my attention, but I was under the impression that going to school to learn more about it was completely out of the question due to tuition costs, and lack of availability. Not only have I discovered that this is indeed untrue, but I’m currently pursuing an education in filmmaking at a school which is both affordable (especially with grants and loans), and through an excellent program which actually encourages hands-on training and experience right from the start. After all, I was afforded the opportunity to produce and direct a short film utilizing my entire Video Production I class as crew in only my first year.
Short story long, I have absolutely no regrets to this point about my decision to give formal education another shot. Unlike in the past, I’m being challenged every day as I gain oodles of new skills and knowledge when it comes to not only film and video production, but multimedia technologies (which, in fact, is the title of my soon-to-be A.A.S. degree) in general. Perhaps more importantly: After all the adversity with which I have had to deal over the past few years (particularly when it comes to dwindling business due to a combination of a horrible economy, and my ongoing battles with body dysmorphic disorder), I desperately needed a test of genuine success in order to find the strength to begin the long and hard journey out of the pit of despair in which I have resided for quite some time. In fact, when it comes to the latter point, it alone makes this entire experience an invaluable investment unto myself.
Anyway, if any of the few (if any) people who read this blog are ever so interested, here is my valedictorian speech in full:
First off, I believe this graduating class should give thanks to the incredible staff at the SAU Tech Adult Education Center, as their devotion to education and personal empowerment makes our shared achievement possible. Credit also goes to the state of Arkansas, for both realizing the importance of a high school education for its citizens, and going the extra mile to ensure that its GED program is accessible to everyone by being free-of-charge, and presenting a true academic challenge to its participants. Arkansas is indeed leading the way when it comes to this program, and has set an example which all other states would be wise to follow.
There is no singular, one-size-fits-all path for everyone when it comes to accomplishing any objective in life, and earning a high school diploma is no exception. I dropped out of public school as soon as I turned sixteen, partly due to an immediate need to enter the workforce in order to begin earning a living, but also because I had long found myself mostly unchallenged and, to be honest, flat out bored by my education experience to that point. I certainly never stopped learning during this time, as I’ve always been an avid reader on a variety of subjects, which is simply due to my voracious appetite for knowledge. There was a time when, despite my lack of a high school diploma, I enjoyed significant professional success as an employee, and an entrepreneur.
Obviously, the past few years have been rather trying for all of us in many respects, particularly from a financial standpoint. In order to reinvent myself for these changing times, I finally had to confront my long-standing aversions to formal education, and summon the grace and open-mindedness to give education another chance. As I stand here now with not only a high school diploma to my name, but also with one year of college under my belt, I’m ecstatic to say that I have no regrets about my decision to revisit the educational system, and that the successes I have achieved within it to this point have greatly empowered me to move above and beyond the adversities which I have encountered in recent years.
As I look across this room, I see not just the face of each individual graduate, but also a collection of fascinating stories from all walks of life. While every single person graduating has his or her own individual reason for achieving their high school diploma, whether to secure more lucrative employment, to pursue higher education, or for the personal satisfaction of the accomplishment, we have each taken a significant step forward in our respective lives, and each one of us is a better person for it. Of course, the concept of education does not end here, nor is it limited to the classroom. The pursuit of knowledge is essential to our individual growth, and it is vital to our freedom. You have all proven yourselves successful in rising above an unlimited variety of circumstances in order to be here tonight, and it is my great honor to acknowledge this.
My appreciation to anyone who managed to stay awake during my spiel…
Tonight, I did something which I had not done in what seems like an eternity: I went to a club to specifically see/hear a band. The band in questions is a new outfit which was, in fact, playing its very gig, by the name of Collin vs. Adam. Personally, I like what they’re doing, as they combine guitar and keyboards with sequenced rhythm tracks. This was also my long-belated first visit to Afterthought in Little Rock, and I could see myself becoming something of a regular. The fact that they are willing to book such a musical act lends itself to the possibility that I myself may be able to perform there at some point, as I think my my music (particularly my work as a solo artist) would be welcomed. We’ll see…
