Ivy Oration | Harvard Class Day 2022 | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Youmna Harb delivers a humorous and heartfelt graduation speech to the Harvard Class of 2022, reflecting on their unique college experience and the challenges they faced.

Key Insights

• 😀 The Harvard Class of 2022 faced unique challenges as a hybrid group, from online learning to social awkwardness post-pandemic.
• 🧑‍🎓 Despite rejections and failures, the students were accepted into the Harvard community and had transformative experiences.
• 😯 The speech highlights the humor and camaraderie among the students, as well as their shared experiences and inside jokes.
• 🌍 Harb emphasizes the importance of laughter, resilience, and kindness as the Class of 2022 enters the real world.
• 😯 The speech captures the pride and gratitude the students feel towards Harvard for their education and the support of the faculty and staff.
• 👥 The Class of 2022 is portrayed as a diverse and accomplished group, ready to pursue various career paths.
• 😯 Harb's speech resonates with the audience by addressing their common struggles and providing a lighthearted perspective on their college experience.

Transcript

FELLOW STUDENTS, PROUD PARENTS, ESTEEMED FACULTY, AND RANDOM PEOPLE WHO JUST WATCH THESE THINGS ON YOUTUBE: HELLO AND WELCOME. YOUNGER SIBLINGS, A BIRD IN THE HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH. NOW, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THIS MEANS, BUT I THOUGHT YOU GUYS SHOULD START GETTING READY TO RECEIVE UNEARNED, PATRONIZING ADVICE FROM US FROM THIS DAY FORWA... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: What were some of the unique challenges faced by the Harvard Class of 2022?

The Harvard Class of 2022 faced challenges such as adapting to a hybrid learning environment, relearning social skills post-pandemic, and dealing with the bragging of their peers who took gap years.

Q: How did Harvard reject and accept the students throughout their college experience?

Harvard rejected the students from various on-campus publications, clubs, and internships, creating a sense of competition. However, they were accepted into the Harvard community and provided with opportunities for growth and development.

Q: What are some of the career paths the Class of 2022 may pursue after graduation?

The Class of 2022 has a wide range of career possibilities, including becoming doctors, teachers, firefighters, astronauts, detectives, or data-driven thought leaders. Some may even become villains, statistically speaking.

Q: What is the main takeaway from Youmna Harb's speech?

The main takeaway from Harb's speech is to not take life too seriously and to find humor in both successes and failures. She encourages the Class of 2022 to approach life with kindness, resilience, and a strong moral compass.

Summary

In this speech at Harvard, the speaker humorously reflects on their time at the university and addresses the Class of 2022, highlighting the unique experiences and challenges they faced as a result of the pandemic. They touch on the topic of rejection and the transformative nature of their time at Harvard. The speaker ends the speech by urging the graduates to not take life too seriously and to approach the future with kindness, resilience, and courage.

Questions & Answers

Q: Who delivered the speech?

The speech was delivered by an individual named Youmna.

Q: How did the speaker describe Harvard in the speech?

The speaker described Harvard as a place where dreams are narrowed down to slightly more lucrative dreams, a place that meets 100% of financial need for all students, and a place that played both a romantic and parental role in their lives.

Q: How did the pandemic impact the Class of 2022?

The pandemic interrupted their college experience, causing them to have a hybrid learning environment. It also brought forth social challenges as their social ineptitude could no longer be masked by the "new normal."

Q: How did the speaker describe their transformation over the four years at Harvard?

The speaker jokingly mentioned that their transformation involved becoming a person who needs a job, as opposed to just being a person. They also emphasized the uniqueness of each person's experience at Harvard, shaped by their chosen concentrations, stereotypes, and rejections faced.

Q: What challenges did the Class of 2022 encounter during their time at Harvard?

The Class of 2022 faced various rejections, such as not getting accepted into on-campus publications, clubs, classes, internships, and leadership positions. They also humorously mentioned their disbelief at repeatedly being rejected from the Harvard Undergraduate Clean Energy Group.

Q: Where will the Class of 2022 go after graduating from Harvard?

The Class of 2022 will pursue careers in diverse fields and industries, with some becoming doctors, teachers, firefighters, astronauts, detectives, and more. Others may become data-driven thought leaders, passionate domain experts, or creative self-starters.

Q: What advice did the speaker give to the Class of 2022 for the future?

The speaker advised the graduates to not take life too seriously, to laugh at themselves, their successes, and failures. They also encouraged laughter directed at institutions, especially powerful ones like Harvard. Additionally, the speaker urged the graduates to approach the real world with kindness, resilience, and courage.

Q: What gratitude did the speaker express towards Harvard?

The speaker expressed gratitude towards Harvard for the faculty who taught with empathy and excellence, the staff who made students feel at home, and the student body who shared their experiences.

Q: How did the speech end?

The speech ended with congratulations to the Class of 2022 and a thank you. The speaker expressed confidence in the graduates' ability to face the real world with kindness, resilience, and courage. They closed with humorous references to losing virginities in bunk beds.

Takeaways

The speaker's speech at Harvard emphasized the humor and uniqueness of the Class of 2022's experiences. They highlighted the transformative nature of their time at the university, the challenges faced, and the importance of not taking life too seriously. The speaker encouraged laughter and kindness, as well as resilience and courage in facing the future.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Youmna Harb addresses the Harvard Class of 2022, delivering a funny and relatable speech filled with jokes and personal anecdotes.

• She highlights the challenges they faced as a hybrid group, navigating through online and in-person learning during the pandemic.

• Harb emphasizes the transformative experience that Harvard provided, shaping each student and preparing them for the real world.