Hi I'm Dre. =)

22 5 / 2012

class of 2012

I didn’t even want to go to Seton Hall. It was the last application I sent out and just happened to be the first one I heard back from. The first time I stepped foot on the campus was the same day I put in my housing deposit back in April of my senior year in high school.

My plans and path changed along the way. My frame of mind adjusted accordingly. I got the sense shaken into me and made a variety of realizations that pushed me in certain ways and directions.

And today was the culmination of the last 4 years. It was to represent all I had done and accomplished, but I don’t think any amount of words or bedazzled caps could rightfully embody all I have experienced and all the people who played a part in making those experiences memorable. I’ve learned tons in the classroom but my peers have been some of my best teachers. Classmates turned into friends and finally extended family, I’m blessed and honored to have these people in my life and cannot wait to see all the wonderful things life has in store for each of them.

Innumerable amounts of thanks go out to my family, those close and those an ocean away. Their support was what my drive fed off of and their expectations of me helped me keep my eye on the prize. My professors here have challenged me and forced me to think beyond my limits and I am forever grateful for that.

I think at every commencement ceremony, someone is going to speak on the idea that we are about to enter the real world, that we have a big and bright future that we can only find success in. The view from my seat is a little foggy, I’ll admit, but if college taught me anything it’s that I have to trust in my abilities more and be better at graciously accepting the encouragement from those close to me. I don’t exactly have a specifically outlined plan but I definitely have an idea and a goal, and I have no intention of not seeing those things through.

It’s now been about 12 hours since I made the transition from undergraduate to alumnus and honestly, it feels freakin’ weird. But here’s where more adjustments must be made and lessons learned must be adapted.

So my sincerest and most heartfelt congratulations go out to Seton Hall University’s Class of 2012. Our hard work has paid off and our distances between our right-nows and our ultimate goals have shortened. The best of luck to each of you, we did it.

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