I was asked to speak for our recent Cinta Aveda Student Celebration. While it is a celebration for听students who have either graduated or are near graduation, I still feel as though it isn鈥檛 necessarily my听graduation since I鈥檒l still be attending the Barbering program at the Institute. But that still didn鈥檛 stop me听from writing from my heart and speaking to the class.
Here is the speech:
Hi, I鈥檓 Kevin. I鈥檓 an alcoholic. Sorry, wrong meeting.
When Jenna first asked me to speak for today鈥檚 celebration, my first thought was 鈥淕reat鈥� who听cancelled?鈥� Then my thoughts turned to rage, then to denial, then anger and finally鈥� how am I doing on听time?
In all seriousness, it鈥檚 been a great ride. Sometimes discouraging, sometimes aggravating, but for the听most part, all awesome. I don鈥檛 think any of us really expected to receive what we鈥檝e received here.
From Intro classes to now has been an amazing transformation, just in the amount of tears alone. We听have saved so many tissues in the recent months because of the lack of tears and our confidence alone听has increased tenfold! Personally speaking, I can section and cut hair at, oh let鈥檚 say, a Beta Level!
I kid, but since we鈥檙e on the topic of what we鈥檝e learned, praise really does need to be given to all of our听teachers鈥� educators鈥� is it teachers or educators? Educator-Americans? I can never get that right, no听matter how hard I try. Our Teach-ucators have given us what we need to succeed in our careers and we听should give them a big hand, even though they should get more.
And while we are giving praise, a big hand should also go to the staff that works here at the school.
In the office, in the experience center, everywhere. They help run the show behind the show. The听staff have to deal with some of the most unhappy, dissatisfied, angry, self-absorbed people on a daily听basis鈥� I鈥檓 referring to us, the students. The guests are fine.
From a personal standpoint, I have the utmost respect and love for the educators and staff here at Cinta听Aveda. I came here knowing nothing, a clean slate, a piece of clay that you helped to mold, me as well as听my fellow students into the pre-professionals we are about to become. I feel prepared enough to go out听into the professional world and Carpe the living crap out of that Diem!
How am I doing on time? Ok, I鈥檓 being given the wrap it up sign so I鈥檒l be brief with my notes to my听fellow students. Here is what I have learned through the years that I think will help us all in the future:
– Do or Do Not. There is no try. Yes, Yoda said it but it makes so much sense. Don鈥檛 try, Do. Just听Do.
– Stay Positive
– On that note, Drop Kick the negative out of your life. You don鈥檛 need it. It will just drag you听down!
– Failure doesn鈥檛 come from failing. Failure comes from quitting. Never quit!
– The Paper Cups are for guests only. Do not take them home. Do not use them for Jell-O Shots.听They will fall apart!
– Can鈥檛 means won鈥檛. Seriously. When you鈥檙e saying you can鈥檛 do something, what you鈥檙e really听saying is that I won鈥檛 or I don鈥檛 want to. Erase Can鈥檛 from your vocabulary.
– Your worst day fishing beats your best day at work. I dunno, I read it on a bumper sticker on听the way in to school.
– A faulty craftsman blames his tools. This is true. Never say you can鈥檛 do something because听your brush or comb won鈥檛 work right. Fix it. And fix yourself.
– Develop this credo: 鈥淚mprovise, Adapt, and Overcome鈥� No matter what the situation is:听Improvise, Adapt and Overcome. You will surprise yourself!
– My dad once told me: 鈥淣ever let anyone think they鈥檙e better than you and never think that听you鈥檙e better than anyone else.鈥� This saying has stuck with me through my life.
Now, graduating class: Do do that voodoo that you do so well!
