As milestones approach, it’s human nature to look backward. Moments like graduation have a way of pulling us into reflection. I wish I would have studied more. I would have chosen different classes. I would have never dated that person. I would have gone to more games, more dances, more events. 

But this is not how I want you to look at your last four years. I want you to look back and feel proud of everything you did and everything it took to get here. Four years ago, you walked through the Cerritos Way Gates as freshmen. You didn’t know what the future held. You felt awkward, unsure, maybe even overwhelmed as you followed Link Crew leaders through activities that felt a little forced, a little uncomfortable.

And yet, somewhere in those early days, something began. Some of the people you met then are still sitting next to you today. They became your friends: the ones you laugh with, the ones you call when something amazing happens, and the ones you turn to when life gets too heavy. Those friendships didn’t just happen; they grew alongside you. 

Academically, the part we often think the least about when we look back at school, you took classes you had to take. You took the classes you chose to take. And somewhere along the way, you discovered what inspires you and, more importantly, what doesn’t. This matters more than you think. Because finding your path isn’t just about knowing what you love; it’s also about understanding what doesn’t fit. Every experience, good, bad, exciting, boring, has helped shape the direction you’re heading now, whether it be military, trade school, employment, or college. 

Along the way, many of you saw your family at every game, every performance, every event. Maybe, as freshmen, it felt embarrassing and simply too clingy. Maybe there were times when you wanted them to stay home. But now, you see it differently. Now, you recognize what that presence meant. The love. The commitment. The support. You understand just how fortunate you are to have people who showed up for you again and again. 

Over these four years, your world expanded. And you, without realizing it, became someone wiser, stronger, and more capable than the person who first walked onto this campus. You carry knowledge, experiences, and resilience that your freshman self could never have imagined. 

So as you prepare to walk through the Cerritos Way Gates for the last time, don’t let your thoughts be filled with regret. Don’t rewrite your story with “I wish I would have.” Instead, stand in that cap and gown and realize these truths: You grew, you loved, and you made it! 

Let the tears you feel not be rooted in sadness or fear of what comes next, but in the joy of four years well lived and the love for the person you have become.