May 24 faux grad speech #1

Senior graduation speech 2024

Oh hello,

My name is I.Newson and this is my classroom. My school. I call it- I.School.

What is it? (Pause) That is a difficult question to answer…

Ok, so recently I was contacted by a former student who wanted to continue a philosophical conversation we had in class 5 or 6 years ago. We walked and talked for hours and he said: “Newson, we need I.School, like now.” I told him about my current senior/ final project and he said it was time for me to share it on social media. I said I’m not ready yet.

He said- “Newson, just be you.” So I thought, it’s May. What sort of mock-Graduation speech would I give?

Ok. Here it is.

What do you Want? (Long intense pause- look into camera)

Simple question. Repeat. What do you want? -travel and asking folks. Is it-

You don’t really know do you? Most people don’t yet, common responses are:

Money?

Me: No you don’t. 

You want what money gives you. What is that?

Happiness?

Nope. Too vague and spaciously undefined. Manic and easily faked. 

Love?

Ditto. No, I take that back. Yes, it is vague, cliché curiously defined for us, but what is love? Love can be awful. Love is power and not always reciprocated the in the manor we expect, which hurts. Because we are all too human. Love reaches all human emotion. 

Power, fame? Lots of folks seek fame. So, you desire attention and affection from strangers- many famous people are famous for pretending to be someone or something else so people will like them. Scripted. Fake. Many of them are also sad because what they really want is- what? 

To be real? And respected for being themselves which- many are not- have we learned nothing from child actors and nepotism?

Power, control? No you don’t. Too much work and people are notoriously difficult to work with and it is very time consuming to try to control others especially when you don’t even know what You want to your own core.

So, Now what?  What DO you Want?

May I offer some suggestions? I.School style. 

How about sleep? Night after night. Restful, dream filled sleep. 

Imagine Waking up most mornings with a sense of purpose and meaning in your life. Not just completing the next task- for someone else- people telling you what you want-  money, happiness, love, fame, power and control. 

How about Peace of mind? A sense of purpose. 

Authenticity. Truth. Freedom. All sound good- 

That is what I want. And am succeeding. See, I’ve been working on my own school, and my thought was- how can I start a school that I would actually WANT to attend? So I did. A faux four year “college” of my own creation. 

Four years ago- in this very spot- I had an awkward beginning. An idea. 

Four years later, I am nearly ready to start my school. After I finish my senior project which got interrupted by former students telling me to speed it up and use the social media accounts which were set up for me By former students wanting to connect. I’m old. I don’t get the new timey ways… 

But I can tell you it is nice to be old. I’m 55, I hope I look 55, act 55, and I hope to be a cool, wise old lady.

I did not choose a career chasing money. I am a teacher. And I would like to continue teaching my class, in my school my way in my time- when and wherever I feel like it.  

What I want is to continue my purposely cryptic inewson.org web page. Finish my senior project and then give step by step lessons and instructions as to how to create your own class. 

What I will teach you is how to reclaim some of your time;

By giving you other things to do- and think about with your time- other than school and screens. Off topic topics to interrupt your otherwise scheduled school-life.

I.School is for anyone, anywhere, anytime. At least that is what my former student came up with on our long walk last week.

“-anywhere anytime.” Newson. 

I may not be with you in a classroom. In fact I am selling my house and traveling. A traveling philosophy class built just for you…. and me. You know, The I  in I.School.

Most people don’t know me. But students do. So Hi out there former students. Newson here. Still teaching. Id like to expand my classroom. I.School. Let’s build a philosophy class! Continue conversations started a long time ago- 

Follow, Subscribe, Like, Comment… Um, fewer than 10 words… if at all. I have SO many lessons and ideas spinning around in my brain case. 

Anyway, I’m I.Newson and this is my classroom. My school. My. ISchool senior project that Id like to get back to, thank you very much… after this mock graduation speech. 2024.  

“We need I.School now” “just be you” Newson.

Ok. I’m on it! Let’s get started with a story.  The story of the Three Little Pigs.

Oh, my time is up for today. Ok. Insert Graduation cliches finishes:

Follow your dreams…  Oh, that’s a whole other I.lesson. 

OK- insert your own ending. I’m just getting started!!!

Ciao for now.