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Your magnificence – Vice-rector,
Spectabilis – Dean,
Honorabiles, dear parents and honourable guests.
I am standing here today to thank you on behalf of the newly graduated persons.
Although this assignment may seem trivial compared to the tasks we went through during our university studies, it is not easy to speak on behalf of such a lot of people, knowing well how different our motivations to start and finish the studies were, and how different our paths were.
There is a saying: “If you want to change something, start with yourself”. I dare to adjust this saying to “If you want to mention something, start with yourself.” Hopefully, I will be forgiven for being personal for a while.
After my secondary school leaving examination I applied for studying two different fields at two different universities in two different cities.
The fact that I started studying in Hradec Králové, my hometown, resulted from my life circumstances. I had to make my own decisions at that time, but that decision impacted not only my life. Neither then nor nowadays, it has been just me who has been directly impacted by my decisions. And although it may seem at first glance that this is a lack of freedom, it means that I have had people around me who I care about. And I perceive this as my best luck.
One of the reasons why I eventually started studying Transcultural Communication was the format of the entrance examination. The interview was so human that even the best-designed written tests would not have been better. And although perhaps only a fraction of you have ever heard of my field of studies, I would like all of you to experience the atmosphere here, the personal approach and the contagious enthusiasm. Incredibly inspiring and well-educated teachers, a minimum of things that I did not enjoy while studying, lots of opportunities to develop outside the university campus. I accomplished four internships, a number of field trips, I was even chosen for a six-month exchange stay in the Republic of Korea, which I still perceive as one of my best life adventures. I have never regretted my decision to bet on the University of Hradec Králové.
Maybe, your opinion is: “She had good luck…“
You are right. I really have had a lot of good luck in my life. But I dare to say, that no matter how different we are from each other and although we don’t know each other personally, you are also lucky. Otherwise, you could hardly be awarded your university diplomas here today, moreover in such beautiful weather.
At this moment, I am coming back to the plural and I can say on behalf of us: We know that good luck, no matter whether it is what I have just talked about now or no matter what you imagine under that wording, is not for nothing. Good luck comes to those who are prepared and ready. And our efforts made during the course of our studies are a kind of proof of that. We had to move forward to meet our good luck, we had to go through and over numerous tests and examinations. Good luck is not just a pure coincidence. On the contrary, it is often the result of our work or the result of our difficult decisions. Although we cannot affect numerous things, just as I could not affect those “post-secondary school life circumstances” at that time, it will always depend on us how we face the reality.
Feeing lucky is the setting of our mind, and I believe that gratitude is the key to that.
It is a great honour for me to be allowed to stand here today and to express a loud Thank you! on behalf of all the graduates!
We thank to helpful teachers, dedicated families, loyal friends, understanding employers – we thank everyone for being happy together with us, for helping us in difficult times, for believing in us.
Not everyone to whom our gratitude belongs can be here today. But I want to tell also these people not present here – you have made us happy.
Thank you wholeheartedly for that now.