Congrats Class of 2022

Congrats class of 2022!

You made it. You’re here.

On the brink of the rest of your lives.

What are you going to do with it?

As i pose this question to you, i’m also posing it to myself. I graduated twelve years ago this month. In the time since, i’ve self-published two books (written drafts of two more), released three rap albums, finished a bachelor’s degree and gotten halfway through a Master’s, gotten married, and become a dad. But you know what’s crazy? I still don’t know what i’m going to do with the rest of my life.

Over the past four years i’ve subbed high school classes for a living. This is actually the fifth graduating class since the first class i subbed in February of 2018.

The saddest day of my sub career was March 16, 2020, when the school year was canceled due to COVID and i couldn’t say goodbye and good luck. And the second saddest day of my sub career was Wednesday, May 18, 2022, when i learned i wouldn’t be spending the last two days of the senior’s career in the class i’d spent most of the spring semester subbing for (because a different sub picked up the job), so again, i couldn’t wish you all a proper goodbye and good luck.

I’m going to keep substitute teaching in my back pocket as a possible option for the future, but my goal is to move forward in my life as all of you move forward in your lives. What that means exactly, i don’t know, but if you follow me on social media we can walk into the unknown together (in a manner of speaking).

Some of you might become doctors. Some of you might become lawyers. Some of you might become teachers. Some of you might become law enforcement or paramedics. Some of you might go into technology or engineering.

No matter what you end up doing, the world needs you. Never forget that. You have a role to play in this thing called life. A role that you alone can play. What will you contribute for the next generation?

I’m excited to watch you all come into your own. And even if it takes you the next twelve years (or more) to discover your purpose, never stop being creative. Never stop being genuinely yourselves. Never stop pursuing being more genuinely yourselves.

You’re awesome!

I’m happy i got to play even a small role in each of your lives.

God bless you in your future endeavors.

In this with you.

— Mr Wingerd