Paige Finn DohertyFounding Partner, Behind Genius · Founding Partner at Behind Genius Ventures

the best years of our lives

3 Oct 2023 · 1 min

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In this candid, first‑person video, the speaker explains that their valedictorian speech had no traditional theme; instead, it aimed to challenge the common belief that high school represents the "best years of your life." They describe feeling unpopular, nerdy, and an athlete who never truly found a peer group, arguing that high school should not be seen as a peak. The speech was meant to motivate classmates to look forward to college, though the speaker admits they were terrified and even flubbed the ending. The reflection then jumps to the present, noting that the speaker now appears on TV and engages with reporters about Gen Z and TikTok, illustrating a personal journey from a nervous high‑school speaker to a media‑savvy commentator.

Chapters

What was your theme for your valedictorian speech? I didn't really have a theme. I think it was more so like disproving the notion that high school, it's the best years of your life, enjoy it, kind of. I am not peaking in high school. No. And also like, I was not popular in high school. I was like super nerdy and I was an athlete, but I never felt like I had found like my people or like really myself. I was like, this can't be the best years of our lives. It's Like, so just pumping people up for college, honestly. But it was terrifying. It was so scary for me. I remember actually I flubbed in my speech at the end and I was like, ooh, sorry. Like, I would never do that now. But it was just so funny 'cause now looking fast forward, like I do a bunch of stuff on TV. Even like this week I get a bunch of press inbound to my Twitter. I've spoken to, I think, 5 reporters on like Gen Z, TikTok, like what's going on in the world.