Learning from the Person Right Next to You

Hello Everyone! My name is Taylor Robin, your student body president for 2019-2020. For a very long time, I always admired the previous student body presidents as they stood up here and spoke to you all, and I always thought to myself, “Wow, I want to do that one day.” So, I was beyond overjoyed when I could finally say that I was granted the opportunity to do what I always dreamed.

But, then when I was tasked with writing this speech, I sat looking at a blank page, empty minded for a long time, and I mean a loooong time.

I thought, what can I say to these intelligent and inspiring students that they don’t already know? And I realized that’s just it. I was stumped because I was thinking about what I can offer you personally, and I found myself coming up short. But then I decided to look at it from a different perspective. You see, I realized that much of my success throughout high school can be attributed to what I’ve learned from other people.

I learned from teachers and students alike, one example being when my English class visited the third (now fourth) grade class to help them with their English papers last year. I remember walking out of that third grade classroom, as a junior, utterly astounded by how incredibly smart and talented these kids were.

And I was a little disappointed in myself that I underestimated such an important and game changing population within our school. That is because I entered that classroom thinking that I held the answers. But it further instilled me the understanding of how valuable it is to learn from others.

And that is what I really want to get across to you all. It is so easy to go home and open your textbooks or readings and get wrapped up in the little things. Getting lost in the minutia of it all. But I have found from personal experience that listening to others and letting different perspectives guide you to shift your own thinking can make a world of a difference.

I am a senior this year (I know, super old), and that means I am leaving this Hilltop along with over 90 other individuals. But, there are also about 30 kids in the class of 2032 who are just beginning their journey through the endless comps, and homework assignments, and tests.

And I think both groups and everyone in between can benefit from making the effort to learn from those around you because you’ll be surprised with what you find. The most impactful and groundbreaking idea you’ve ever had could spring from the person right next to you.