By Bill Quain
It’s graduation season, and we all know what that means. Millions of people are completing some sort of training, education, or certification, and have earned the right to move on to something new. Here in Ocean City, you can feel the excitement as the Class of ’23 gets ready for their big night! Our daughters graduated from OCHS in 2009 and 2011, and both went on to something new. OCHS was a wonderful launching pad for them. While the proud parents of the newest OCHS alumni should be thrilled with their children’s accomplishments, it’s important to remember what the graduation ceremony is actually called: a commencement.
A commencement is just the beginning
In June, the six words above should be on every boardwalk bench, every tee shirt, and anywhere else where inspirational messages can appear. No matter what the graduation or completion ceremony celebrates, it isn’t the end of something; it’s the beginning of whatever is next. It doesn’t matter if it is grade school, high school, college, Boot Camp, the Police Academy, or a Certificate Program. Graduating from any of those places is an accomplishment. More importantly, it signifies that the graduate has earned the right to move on to whatever is next. Dear readers, moving on (and growing up) is what makes life so special.
Was all that work worth it?
As a college professor, I’m always interested in articles and newscasts that ask the question: “Is college worth it?” My answer is always, “It all depends on what’s next!” What you have finished isn’t nearly as impactful as what you are about to do. This is great news for anyone who will soon be graduating.
“Your performance has been a disappointment…”
I was not a good student in college. In fact, I came very close to flunking out. I was attending the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University. In the first semester of my junior year, my GPA was a very low 1.79, the equivalent of a D+. A few weeks after the semester ended, I got a terrifying letter from the college Dean. The letter included the above statement about his disappointment in me and went on to suggest that perhaps I should do something else with my life, other than being in his school! But he did give me an option. If I could attain a 2.0 GPA the following semester, the equivalent of a very low C average, then I could stay. While a low C doesn’t seem like a difficult accomplishment, it still looked pretty tough to me. So what did I do? I worked my butt off, and did it… barely! I earned a 2.09 that spring and went on to graduate with a very low 2.2 overall GPA for those four years of work.
Dr. Quain, I need an “A”
I used to hear those six words above almost every semester. A student would ask me for an extra-credit assignment because they needed an “A.” I say that I used to hear those words every semester because most of my students have now heard about the letter. In my office, I have a framed copy of the letter that I received from the Dean, all those years ago. When a student tells me they need an “A,” I take the letter off the wall, show it to them, and say, “No you don’t. You just need to graduate!” This is the message I want to send to all of you this graduation season.
Was going to school worth it?
Okay, let’s get back to that nagging question we are hearing all over the news these days. “Was your investment in time and money worth it?” The answer is, “Yes, but only if you finish it and move on.” After graduating college, no one asked what my GPA had been, except when I applied to graduate school. After college, I spent a year in V.I.S.T.A., which is now called AmeriCorps. Maybe I’ll do a column about that one day, but suffice it to say, my GPA was of no concern to the people I worked with. I then became the Food & Beverage Director and Executive Chef of a ski area in Lake Tahoe. None of my guests, bosses or employees cared if I was an “A” student. By the time I went to graduate school, I had built a credible reputation, and more importantly, when I looked the admissions counselor in the eye, I had the confidence and poise to overcome anything on paper! Today, I’m a full-time professor, a professional speaker, and the author of 27 books, a number of them best-sellers. Was college worth it for me? It’s hard to say, but graduating was definitely worth it!
Walk across that stage, and live!
So, to all the graduates – from whatever and wherever – congratulations! Were you perfect? Probably not, but it doesn’t matter. That piece of paper you have is the only credential that matters. Now, frame it, put it on your wall, and have a great life!
“C” students: write on our bench!
Okay, now it’s your turn. How about sharing your six-word stories, advice, or questions? We’d even like to hear from the “A” students! Send your six words (along with a few sentences to give a little background information and context) to bill@quain.com. Put “Six-Word Stories” in the subject line. As I say each week, I’ll see ya’ in the papers!
