Forget Your Comfort Zone, Remember Home - RHS Valedictorian Tells Classmates

Rye High School valedictorian Melissa Fulenwider tells her graduating class to step out of your comfort zone, explore new things and remember that you will always be able to come home to  the Rye you know and love. Read the full speech here: 

When you walk out of this ceremony today, finally a high school graduate, you will likely be left with one of two conclusions: 1) feeling fulfilled as if you had accomplished all that you intended, or 2) left with wishes that you had done something more. In either case, know that the people you have met here and our culture here at Rye will always be a part of you in some way – maybe the piece you take with you will be a love for the Jeep you drive, an innate hatred of Harrison, or the fact that you say yeeee in casual conversation and think nothing of it. It might not be until next year when you find yourself missing your friends, and, of course, Rosa’s breakfast sandwiches, but you’ll realize this town has engrained itself in you more than you know.

So pause, be still and breathe for just a moment, allowing yourself to take everything in. The number of people sitting around you who have impacted your life in some way is a beautiful thing that shouldn’t be overlooked. You may never see some of these people again or maybe you'll see them all the time, but, honestly, not knowing quite what will happen is scary. Either way, the choice will be left up to you. People will inevitably change and maybe you will too, but your friends will still be just a phone call away when you miss them.

Torn between wanting to embrace change elsewhere and tighten your grip on everything familiar here, conflicting emotions seem to culminate into the feeling of being lost. And yet, even though feeling lost can appear overwhelming, once you realize that Rye and all of the ways in which it has impacted you will be going with you, it’s easy to find your way.

Rye will always be there with help when you ask for it in the way that only a small town can. The culture of everyone knowing everyone else’s business may have been a nightmare in high school, but having a network of people you can reach out to later in life is something to be thankful for.

Ever since we were little, our parents, teachers, and older siblings always seemed to be cautioning us, “Don't be in a rush to grow up,” and we would nod our heads, drown them out, and go back to whatever we were doing. Then, junior year came along with SATs and AP exams and suddenly we longed for nothing more than to be back in those unfortunate years of middle school, helplessly awkward and confused about just about everything, for there is bliss in being naïve sometimes. So we must remind ourselves that it's okay not to know everything, to feel lost as we pack up our backs and shuffle off to college, blindly accepting whatever the future has in store for us in the fall.

In an effort to ease my concerns about life in the real world, Mrs. Short recently advised me, “Your comfort zone is an evil place. Knowing your strengths in life is so valuable, but part of the reason that knowledge matters is because it allows you to understand when you need to proceed with caution; it doesn't mean don't proceed.” In other words, don’t be afraid to try new things in college that excite you – whether that means taking a class about a topic unfamiliar to you, daring to try out for a club sport, or getting involved with Greek life or any other club you find intriguing. You just might surprise yourself and discover a talent or interest unawakened until you embraced such an opportunity. 

Part of the beauty about graduating from high school is that we have the ability to continue to grow and change indefinitely once we leave behind this town. Stepping out of the comforting bubble that is Rye and, along with it, leaving behind all the places that make us feel at home like Longfords, Jerry’s, and the multitude of nail salons and banks lining Purchase Street, we are presented with a chance to be ourselves uninhibited by fear of judgment. Vulnerable as we may be, we can be whoever we want in college and no one can take that away from us.

On a final note, strive make this summer everything you want it to be and never hesitate to speak your mind. Sometimes the compliments you give people or the advice you share with your peers can change the way they view themselves forever. Even though we’re all moving on, it’s never too late to forge new friendships or patch up the ones we never quite got around to mending. Words left unspoken are a torment and being honest is often the only way to free ourselves.

 So go out, speak your mind, introduce yourself to unfamiliar people in the dining halls next year, and take advantage of every opportunity to slip out of your comfort zone and explore different shades of yourself, for you never know what knowledge you might gain simply through accepting that there will always be more to learn. As you walk off this field and head onwards to the excitement of graduation parties and congratulations, be sure to take us with you knowing that Rye will always be there to come home to.

To the parents, teachers, older siblings, and Rye High School itself who not only allowed us to grow, but also helped shape us into confident individuals, thank you for being there for us along the way. Congratulations Class of 2013 and I wish you all the courage to accomplish everything you set out to.