This is the story of an allusion.
"I wake up every morning and wonder whether I love this place or I hate it."
"That means you love it."
You have probably noticed that the seniors are all carrying around a lot of jade these days. It's not swag. It's obnoxious. Flashy gems tend to be. It's hard for me to understand it sometimes. I love this place. I have since I got here. I love to love. It gives me hope. I think I'm an optimist. Because I think that hopelessness is just bursting hopefulness wearing Groucho glasses.
"I think I realized that I hated Trips today. Is that weird?"
"Yes."
There was nothing wrong with your trip. Stop thinking that there was. I guess if you got food poisoning or sprained your ankle or something, that was less than ideal. But it was fun. And it made you feel wanted. And it introduced you to this place and these people. And that meant a lot. And it still does. If Trips were hazing, then I would like to get hazed more often. Every day, even.
"I am worried about what I am going to do next year. I haven't found anything yet."
"That is awesome. You can do anything."
"But... where am I going to get money?"
"I'm guessing people will give it to you if you do things for them."
Seniors, next year is going to be fantastic. Stop thinking that it won't be. You are going to meet new people and do new things and learn about yourself and learn about life and learn about a new place or an old place or space. It will be fun. It will be exciting.
You should not worry too much about money. Yes, it is important. Duh. But I'd always rather spend time with you than have an extra $20 in my pocket. Money does not grow on trees. It grows in them. People give it to you if you do things for them. That is what economics teaches you. You don't even have to go to business school. I just saved you hundreds of thousands of dollars. You're welcome.
"What do I have to show for my four years here?"
"I'm not sure. What have you done?"
"Nothing?"
"Then probably nothing."
You should wake up every day and do something that you love. And before you go to bed, you should do something that you love. In class, do something that you love. On the toilet, do something that you love. Any time in between, do something that you love. Make something. Kiss someone. Be happy.
There is nothing so beautiful as you. Live. Doing what you love is how you give back to the people around you. It is how you show them that you love them. Someday, they will not be around you anymore. But you are alive, and they are alive, and you are together right now. Go do something with them right now. Do something that makes you happy right now. Why the hell would you waste a second not doing something that you love? You can do better than that.
You love to dance. Because you're a person, and we're like that. Dance alone right now. You can dance alone for no reason more profound than wanting to dance. You can dance alone for no reason at all.
A clever person could build something that looked very much like you. It could walk and talk. It could have a job. Maybe a family. But it would still be a machine.
The only thing that separates you and a machine is that you do not need reasons. You do not need to follow a script. You do not need to do what you're told. You do not need to waste time justifying yourself or being scared of yourself. Someday you will realize that there is not a reason that you are you. You are. Embrace yourself.
Do not approach life with reason. That's unreasonable. It's inhuman. Do not look for meaning find meaning or let it find you. It will.
There need not be a reason that you care about the people you do, the people at this school or anything. You can care just because you care.
You will care about a lot of things in your life. Sometimes it will be hard to understand why. You may think that you shouldn't. It doesn't matter. You should and you do. You should not let that bother you. Do not be so worried about what might happen that you turn away from what is happening.
Dartmouth will always be here for you. It was built to last like a cheap, plastic toy truck. It has taken you so many places. It has carried you. You don't need to love it. But there are people here who love you. Because there are people here, and people tend to be like that. Do not count the days until you leave here because this place will never leave you. Smile. Fall in love with something beautiful.
He or she or it is probably a short walk away.
