I'm graduated....sort of

Well folks, yesterday was my graduation. I got to walk down the aisle with my classmates and celebrate the culmination of my academic pursuit of a master degree in Urban Planning. But I still have a few project I'm working on, so I won't technically be done with my program until I turn them in, which might not be for a few weeks.

I did have an awesome time at graduation, filled with mixed emotions, the joy of being (nearly) done, but a bit of sadness that I won't see many of the people who I've become good friends with as often as I'd like.
Aside from that I was nervous as hell since I was chosen by my classmates to give the commencement address. But they showed me so much love that even if I did suck they wouldn't have let me know it. Oh and I didn't tell my family that I was speaking so they were completely surprised when they saw me on stage. Anyways, I'm posting my speech for you all to read as well.

Enjoy!

UP 2007 Student Commencement Address
By Guillermo Jaimes - MA Urban Planning

Thank you Dr. Loukaitou-Sideris. I would like to start off by thanking the wonderful faculty that have imparted their wisdom on us for the last two years. The staff for answering our every question and making sure we would be able to graduate. And I want to thank and welcome the family and friends who have come to support this year's graduating class …and for all of you who have supported us throughout the last two years. Thank you. Bienvenidos y gracias
I guess I should have told my parents that I'd be speaking today, but I just couldn't resist giving the people sitting next to them a bit of a show as they sit there surprised and hopefully a little prouder. Y para mi Tata, espero que sabes que tanto te agradezco para todo su apoyo en este paso de mi vida.

I had to give this speech if only so my family could actually believe that I was not only graduating but that during all of those missed Sunday dinners and times I couldn't make it out to the family gatherings, I was actually studying or writing a paper and not just having wine and cheese parties in the computer lab or surfing the web for the latest youtube video, or weblog updates.….well some of that undoubtedly happened, but the point is I'm here…, we are all here today because our countless hours of hard work has finally paid off. Today we get to reflect on the progress we have made and look forward to the next stage in our lives.

I have to admit it's been a struggle to come up with a speech for this occasion. I've been recently reminded by some of my fellow classmates how important this is and the lingering effect that these words can have. Do I dwell on the past? Do I look for some all encompassing advice that will guide us in our future endeavors? Well I'm not sure that I can come up with some empowering statements or words of wisdom that will forever change your lives. I'll leave that for the after party tonight when after a few drinks everything I say will be genius…or at least that's what I'll think.

We often hear we shouldn't dwell on the past, but I'd like to do just that for a moment and step back to see what life was like back in 2005. I had a good job, went out most every weekend with my friends, could leave work at 5 pm and not worry about it until the next day….ah…the memories. Then grad school came and shook everything to pieces. But it was worth it.
On the first day of class I walked into that now infamous room 2355 only to be struck with a sense of awe and amazement. I was greeted by a room full of bright eyed, idealistic, intelligent and snappily dressed individuals, but we left as friends, as a community and as a family…a sometimes dysfunctional and incestuous family, but a family nonetheless.

I found on that first day of class a group of people that I knew I would share a bond with that would last far longer than the 2 years here at UCLA. I had met a group of individuals that were at once diverse, representing different academic, ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Yet they had certain qualities that could easily bind them together to form a unified group. Was it the way they walked?…with that air of confidence that they knew best how to run things be it a formal board meeting or a rowdy group of volunteers? Was it that sense of sophistication that one acquires form having collectively circumnavigated the globe several times over? Was it that everyone could just as easily spot the flaws in new urbanism as they could find the hottest nightspots in LA? Or was it that they were part of that select club of people who not only knew that LA had a subway…but they had actually ridden it, and now some will be working to expand it.

No, this group shared a deeper connection, one that transcends politics, religion or fashion. This group shared that deep passion for wanting to make the world a better place. They were the ones who though too young to actually remember John F. Kennedy's call for civil service back in the 60's took it to heart. Their idealism and optimism was very palpable then as it is today. Yet at the same time they had a very common sense approach to things, the knowledge that even the best ideas and plans still need to be implemented…and that is why we were here…not only because we believed we could make the world could be a better place, but we wanted to learn the tools that would allow us to do so.

And now on the day that marks the end of this leg of our academic journeys, I would like to leave you with some advice that I have gleamed from my classmates and professors

Be Creative:

Why else would we have joined a program as interdisciplinary as planning if we thought the world could be fit into some sort of box. The challenges we will face in our careers and in life will require fresh approaches. So expand your horizons, travel, pick up a hobby, be free to explore and just when you think you've figured things out, take a step back and see what other perspective you can take.

Be flexible

Not everything in life will go as planned. I'm sure we already knew that, but perhaps we can be reminded that when life throws us curve balls we should be prepared to face these challenges with a smile. I can thank Prof. Leo Estrada for always reminding me that.

Look at the big picture

We enter a world that is ever changing. A world where the city is no longer bounded by an easily defined city limit; so let's not limit ourselves to these arbitrary boundaries. The problems we will tackle as planners will cross multiple boundaries and we will need to use as wide a lens in order to fully understand what the consequences and benefits of our actions would be. I think Prof. Ed Soja would be pleased to know that he's imparted his regional thinking on me and many of us here. And though I could probably not come up with a word to describe this, I'm sure he could.

Tread lightly on the earth

This is the only world we have, so let's leave something for the next generation ok? I want to thank Prof. Stephanie Pincetl for challenging me to think critically about what it means to be environmental and what does the pursuit of sustainability mean. We need to be better at understanding what the consequences of our actions and inactions have so that we can live in a world that not only sustains our lives but our spirits.

Be compassionate

Know that the world continues to have an unequal distribution of resources. And we have now further alienated ourselves from the majority of the world's population by joining a very select group who hold advanced degrees. Let's be sure that we put the knowledge and skills we have learned to benefit those who have been denied the opportunities that we have.

Be fabulous

Urban planning was voted as one of the top five hottest jobs in 2007. According to fastcompany.com. We are the architecture of 2006, so always remember that when you are out in the world representing your profession. I hope that we can also live up to the fashion sense Professor Ligget inspired us with as well as her knowledge of regression analysis.

My fellow graduates. I hope that we can all take to heart the skills we have learned. And not forget that the accomplishments we have achieved in large part through the love and support of those around us and through the close bonds we have made with each other.

So congratulations Class of 2007, you've done it…now get out there and start making the world a better place.