Yes I am referring to the Baz Luhrman speech song. I graduated in 97.
I stole these from a lyrics site.
Ladies and gentlemen of the class of ‘97
Wear sunscreen
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it
The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists
Whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable
Than my own meandering experience, I will dispense this advice now
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth, oh, never mind
You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth
Until they’ve faded, but trust me, in 20 years, you’ll look back
At photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now
How much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked
You are not as fat as you imagine
Don’t worry about the future
Or worry, but know that worrying
Is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing Bubble gum
The real troubles in your life
Are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind
The kind that blindsides you at 4 p.m. on some idle Tuesday
Do one thing every day that scares you
Saying, don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts
Don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours
Floss
Don’t waste your time on jealousy
Sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind
The race is long and in the end, it’s only with yourself
Remember compliments you receive, forget the insults
If you succeed in doing this, tell me how
Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements
Stretch
Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life
The most interesting people I know
Didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives
Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don’t
Get plenty of calcium —
Be kind to your knees — My knees aren’t so bad, it’s my back.
You’ll miss them when they’re gone — They do get sore though.
Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t — I really thought I would be married by now
Maybe you’ll have children, maybe you won’t — I have I’m not sure which one is mad at me or for what
Maybe you’ll divorce at 40, — -I never got married.
maybe you’ll dance the ‘Funky Chicken’ — In my room alone
On your 75th wedding anniversary — I have no desire to be 115.
Whatever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much__ Not an issue really
Or berate yourself either-- I’m so good at it though
Your choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s — I’ve made some doosies.
Enjoy your body, use it every way you can — I wish I had done this sooner
Don’t be afraid of it or what other people think of it — I think I must be
It’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own — Probably the only one I’ll ever play
Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your own living room — I have to have a living room of my own I can dance in
Read the directions even if you don’t follow them — Usually
Do not read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly — I wish I would have listened to this when it came out originally
Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for good — Too soon.
Be nice to your siblings, they’re your best link to your past — I tried, not like I was blood related or anything
And the people most likely to stick with you in the future — They don’t even reply
Understand that friends come and go
But a precious few, who should hold on — I don’t even know if the ones I thought were forever re still around. That's age though I guess. They would still be there if I called.
Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle
For as the older you get
The more you need the people you knew when you were young —
Live in New York City once but leave before it makes you hard — I’ve never even been there
Live in northern California once but leave before it makes you soft — So long since I even visited.
Travel
Accept certain inalienable truths
Prices will rise, — always politicians will philander, — always you too, will get old — Is that what this is
And when you do, you’ll fantasize that when you were young
Prices were reasonable, politicians were noble — Meh
And children respected their elders — This I know for a fact
Respect your elders — Always
Don’t expect anyone else to support you — I don’t I try to do it the other way around, I feel I am failing
Maybe you have a trust fund, — no maybe you’ll have a wealthy spouse — no
But you never know when either one might run out — They never ran in
Don’t mess too much with your hair — I like the glitter streaks
Or by the time you’re 40 it will look 85 — People still think I’m thirty
Be careful whose advice you buy but be patient with those who supply it — Even when I buy it, I have to return it unused
Advice is a form of nostalgia, — I like stories — dispensing it is a way of fishing the past
From the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts
And recycling it for more than it’s worth
But trust me on the sunscreen
