Class President Leona Ademi: 'Love out loud'

I don’t know that I’m qualified to give anyone life advice yet, so when I was struggling to find the right words, I reached out to a wise friend of mine. If you’ve ever met Lori, you’d quickly realize she is happier than most people. She was 18 years old more than 40 years ago, so when I asked her the question, “What would you tell your 18-year-old self?” there was a lot we all needed to hear.

Most of the advice was familiar. I’d heard it before. Follow your dreams. Be yourself. But one line stopped me.

She said, “You’ve heard, ‘Follow your passion.’ Instead, follow what you’re good at and what the world needs.”

I didn’t like it at first. It sounded backward and ironic, considering we’ve always been told to follow our passions. But then I thought back to freshman year, and after I cringed with embarrassment, I remembered how different I was. My passions aren’t the same, my goals are different and I have changed so much. We all have.

What excites us at 18 might change when we’re 25, 40 or even 60. But what can last is finding a way to contribute.

Now, before I had gone to Lori, I turned to a friend for advice. Her answer wasn’t as in-depth or helpful, but she replied to my text and said, “Nobody is going to remember what you say anyway.”

It was harsh but exactly what I needed to hear. And I stopped searching for the perfect message.

Because years from now, nobody is going to remember the words I said, and I probably won’t either. But I hope we remember this feeling. The feeling of being surrounded by the people we grew alongside. The feeling of being terrified and excited at the same time. The feeling of knowing that everything is about to change.

Since September of this year, I have been looking forward to June and all of the moments it had to offer. Now that we’re at the end, I can’t help but feel nostalgic for the simple things that we won’t experience again. The first day of school, Friday night lights, homecoming, playing the crop, senior week and so much more. We’ve spent the last four years assuming that when these moments arrived, life would be at its best. But once they did come, they were over in what felt like seconds.

So in the days leading up to this moment, I haven’t been thinking about what’s next; I’ve been thinking about the waiting itself. While we were busy waiting for the perfect moment, life was happening in between. On the ordinary weekdays. In the quiet mornings and late nights. In the moments that introduced us to our people. In the days we originally had no plans but turned into days worth remembering. We were changing, growing, making connections and building a foundation.

So maybe Lori was right.

Maybe growing up isn’t about finding one passion to follow forever. Maybe it’s about showing up for those you love, using what you’re good at to change the world and appreciating the moment before it becomes a memory.

So be spontaneous, make plans with no purpose, love out loud, let go of grudges, travel the world, do it afraid and enjoy being this young. One day, maybe five or even 50 years from now, you’ll look back on this moment with the same nostalgia you feel when looking back on your freshman self.

And when that day does come, I hope we look back on the rest of our lives knowing that we didn’t wait for a perfect moment, but we lived for every moment.

Lastly, I’d like to thank everyone who made today possible: faculty, educators, family, friends and anyone else who contributed. I’d also like to thank my mom, pacvb, Jalen Brunson, roommates and my fellow graduates.

Congratulations, Class of 2026.

And in case I don’t see you, good afternoon, good evening and good night.