Fellow seniors, I don’t know how long you’ve been a Mustang, and I don’t know what being a Mustang means to you, if anything. But, regardless of when you first entered MHS, we leave these now-tiled halls and bright white walls together. So, from one Mustang to another, here are my unsolicited pieces of advice, suggestions or maybe just pleas as we become legal members of society and face the scary reality that our decisions can change the world.

Live your truth. Everyone says that you find who you are in high school (just think about how much time we spent reading “coming of age” books in English class), but I don’t think we stop there; we don’t suddenly become the one person we’re meant to be. Rather, I would encourage you all to live honestly. As the meaning of your identity continues to change, be who you are loudly and proudly, and don’t make the high school mistake of losing yourself to the crowd. In welcoming all the changes and confusion that the future holds, listen to who you are and honor who you want to be.

Respect the truths of others. At Eads Elementary, where I was one of three Desi kids in the grade, I had to keep my South Indian and “school” (what I called American) Anushka’s separate. Moving through a school system where not many of the staff looked like me, it was difficult to fight our deeply-rooted environment of assimilation. Attending the Munster schools was most definitely a privilege for us all, but in order to make positive impacts on society, we must let go of the idea that the environments we know and perceive are the truths of others. If your experiences are like mine, know that your existence is more than enough. For everyone, learn to empathize, learn to appreciate and, most importantly, learn to learn.

Finally, Mustangs, have fun. From our parking lot Homecoming to anything-but-a-backpack day, though, that doesn’t seem to be a challenge for us. Each moment is your own, so make the most of it. 

I’m proud of us for making it this far. You have power in your being, but don’t forget Uncle Ben’s (or Voltaire’s, take your pick) famous advice—that with great power comes great responsibility. Upon entering this scary, complicated, wonderful world, be inquisitive, challenge the status quo and make your engagement meaningful. Let’s continue to support each other in times of uncertainty and for the sake of our futures, create the change we so desperately need.