Congrats to the UGA Class of 2011!!
I have been to a couple of Rite of Sankofa celebrations. I have always wanted to participate in it.And here it was, finally Renaldo gave me the opportunity to do this speech…but what do I say? I didn’t want to give generic lessons on life or general memories.I wanted this to be something we all could relate to. And what better connects us than music, more specifically a music playlist. You see, a music playlist is essential to every college student. It gets you through those days when you need a little pick me up. It fuels you even more on those days when you are feeling good.
You have to make a playlist for house parties
You have the study session playlists
You have road trip playlists
The before you go out playlist
The morning before test playlist
In all my memories music has been just as important as the memories
With a little inspiration from the Sigmas and their Sigma Week Mixtape and the Omegas for their Mixtape, I decided to create a Fall 2011 playlist/mixtape.
Fall 2007 is where our class playlist begins
Track 1: Kanye and TPain- The Good Life
As freshman we lived the good life
That year 18,000 applied to UGA, 4,000 were accepted and we were among those elite living in Brumby, Russell, Creswell (or Payne/Morris)
We had it good…snellebrations, bet
Escort Van adventures and parties at the Ritz or Tasty World jamming to Shawty is a Ten by the Dream or Buy You a Drank by TPain
Teaching our roommates or peers the Soulja Boy's Superman
Our first football season...the good life
We went to our first and maybe even our last BEST meeting
Grand Hall was in the old Tate where BEST’s Rep Your High School was...and yes there used to be parties in Memorial Hall Ballroom...the good life
We attended programs hosted by FAB like Are You Smarter Than a Freshman?
Attending our first Café Soul and making connections with one another and upperclassmen
Hanging out in the 4th floor in the AACC in the café
Hanging out in the MSP lounge
The good life
Lesson from freshman year: Each new experience is the good life…embrace it
Fall 2008 Track 2: A Milli- Lil Wayne
Probably my best year here at UGA was my sophomore year
Sophomore year we just had a good time, new friends, maintaining friendships, and of course election time. We established ourselves in organizations. We were glad that we made it past freshman year and there were some who didn’t
But also in sophomore year there was a lot of change…the Greek Life office moved from memorial hall to Tate, Tate 2 opens, The Ritz closes (a moment of silence) but in all those changes we just had a good time
It was during this time I truly experience the greatness of BUGA (or Black UGA) more than just a title, it was a community of support. It was here I was the reigning Miss Black UGA and I walked around doing a documentary and here was my peers supporting me and giving their opinion and working towards a community.Twitter really came on the scene, a new innovation that we took over who would have thought we would change from Facebook
Track 3: My President is Black
The day after President Obama was elected, Tate Time was live and blasted through the center My President is Black, my lambo’s blue
Yes change was all around us but we still had a good time
Lesson from sophomore year: Change will always be there but its how you adapt to it that matters
Fall 2009 Track 4: Never Would Have Made it- Marvin Sap
The end of sophomore year and the beginning of junior year that song was my theme song.. a Marvin Sap Pandora station was added. I don’t know what it was but junior year was that struggle. We were in our major classes and partying slowed down … just a little
We dropped some of those organizations we were so involved in, people moved off campus
People were turning 21
Tests were hard, life was crazy but we never would have made it without God… let the church say… AMEN
Track 5: Change gon come- Sam Cooke
To see some of us finally become greek was a long time coming but it was a good feeling…from watching the probates as freshman and to actually participate in them and to come up to one another and say “It’s been a long time coming” and we all knew what it meant
Lesson from junior year: In the midst of trials and tribulations, the ones who are truly there for you will stand by your side
Fall 2010 Track 6: Moment for Life- Nicki Minaj
Senior year...we did all the things we never thought we would do
Georgia/Florida game, new jobs
Internships, study abroad
It was also during senior year we celebrated the 50th anniversary of desegregation here at the university
A moment for life I will never forget was the chance to meet Charlayne Hunter-Gault, the first African-American woman to attend the University of Georgia and my soror
Planning and promoting asold out BOB concert
Some of us found out we were not graduating in May but celebrated with the May grads like we were
Lesson from senior year: There are moments in life you must always hold dear to your heart
Fall 2011 Track 7: Rolling in the Deep- Adele
Going into the last semester
Everyone was on the grind. Going on interviews, applying for fellowships or grad schools. Leading organizations. Trying to teach the underclassmen
No time for nonsense. Everyone is more blunt. Coming on campus is for business not leisure. Tate Time...non existent
Lesson from this semester: Personal growth is important. Love is not always what you expect it to be...but when your heart is pure it will work out.
Tomorrow we will become alumni … and as I reflect on this playlist I am glad it has gotten me through this experience. But now is the time to retire it for a while and begin a new one
2011 and beyond
Track 1: Ambition –Wale
"Ambition is priceless/It’s something that’s in your veins/And I put that on my name"
We all have ambition in our hearts that have gotten us to this point.
If I would leave a final lesson to this class is that we should let the ambition in our hearts not just be an individual ambition but a collective one.
Look to your left and your right I hope that this is not the last time we try and see one another
I hope this is not the last time we are in a room celebrating our achievements
Let’s strive to make my or your Ambition our ambition
The ambition that comes together for homecoming tailgates
That keeps in touch with one another
That reaches back to those graduating behind us
That ambition that is the foundation for the success that is sure to come after tomorrow
Much love
nice...well presented. that's really creative.
ReplyDeleteWTG SOROR!!!!!!!!!!! YOU DID IT!!!!
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