Good Evening Graduating Class of 2015!
Tonight I want to talk to you about two extremely important
things, Community…and Instagram. Yes friends, tonight we’re going to explore
why these two seemingly incongruous platforms are truly interconnected and will
guide you on your journey forward as it surely will never stop. After this
speech, you’ll physically move on from this building, but by no means are you
leaving this community behind. Soon you’ll face a series of choices that will
help carve your path to adulthood and believe it or not, the decisions you
make, the gut feeling you rely on….everything comes back to what you’ve learned
here at The Davis Academy.
The following is based on a presentation I gave a few short weeks
ago to the heads of Global Media Alliances, Development and Social Media
Marketing at American Express.
So, let’s talk about the “5 Rules to ‘Gram By.”
Rule #1 - Don’t Make it All About You
Instagram is place
where we all go to document and share our lives, to discover and be inspired,
but what are we really doing? We’re showing the most exciting, current and
trendy experiences all with the hopes of getting those highly coveted likes.
Right? But who’s going to actually “like” your Instagrams? Your friends. Your
friend’s friends. And everyone else searching the hashtags you carefully chose
to capture that perfect #TBT or #ManCrushMonday. So in truth, Instagram is
about everyone else. It’s how you make everyone else feel. Think about this as
you enter the wild world of high school, the vast landscape of college and eventually
the endless plain of real life. Remember, we all learned at Davis that we’re
responsible for much more than just ourselves; a lesson we learned through our
mitzvah projects and leadership roles on our athletic teams. We must care for
others and always strive to make wherever we go better than when we arrived.
Because a selfish attitude will get you nowhere, but collaboration, teamwork,
humility and empathy will unlock endless opportunities.
Rules #2 & #3 – Push The Limits & Be Fearless
This may seem a
little extreme in the case of Instagram, but consider this. Why would someone
follow you if you just posted the same things as everyone else? Maybe throw in
a hyperlapse to catch someone’s attention or picstitch together the funny
things from last weekend. Those are some quick ways to stand out. But let’s
think about this beyond the walls of Insta. Soon, you won’t have everything
meticulously scheduled and planned for you. As you enter high school, freedom
begins to creep and with that comes your opportunity to take control of your
life. Trust me, you’ll have an easy time going through the motions, taking the
normal set of classes, and mindlessly moving through the next four years. But
why would you want to do that? Take classes that fall outside of your comfort
zone. Try out for the team you think you’ll never make. Join a club that
interests YOU or even better, start a new club! Take calculated risks, push
yourself, put yourself out there, don’t balk at challenges but stare them down
and confidently take your first steps.
Rule #4 – Make a Great First Impression
Now, I’m going to
bore you for a few moments with some facts. But did you know that with
Facebook’s auto-play video, you have a 3 second audition to grab someone’s
attention before they scroll past? With Instagram, you only have 9-images
and a few short seconds to convince someone to follow you once they click on
your handle. With life, you have 1 first impression to permanently represent
yourself. The first impact you make matters and it’s lasting. I remember
meeting Roy, the Israeli exchange student who stayed with my family, for the
first time back in 8th grade. Instantly we showed mutual respect and kindness,
and to this day we stay in touch. In fact, both my brother and I will see him
during our trips to Israel next week. However, not all first impressions will
go smoothly. In fact, you’re going to make mistakes... and that’s OK. So if you
do blunder your first impression, don’t fret. Just pivot. Sure it will take
some work, but hard work will pay off. Soon you’ll meet all sorts of people who
will help you on your path to college and beyond. Take the time to give a firm
handshake, to look someone in the eye and connect. You never know who will
become a future friend, co-worker or employer, so it’s crucial to always be
genuine when meeting a new person.
Rule #5 – Choose Your Friends Wisely
Social media allows
you the power to choose who you follow and who follows you. This curation of
friends allows you to build your brand digitally. However, this crucial power
seamlessly translates beyond digital to how you’ll build your brand in real
life. Until now, you’ve fortunately been incubated in a wonderful environment
filled with brilliant minds and kind people, but as you grow, so does the
opportunity to stray. You might be thinking that no matter who you hang out
with, you still know that you’re you and everyone will see you as you see
yourself. This is wrong. By human nature, we judge. We judge everything. From
how delicious that fancy dessert looks racking up hundreds of likes as we
speak, to how athletic you must be because you hang out with all the soccer
players. Right now you’re part of an unbelievable community, a Kehillah. The
Davis class you’re part of plus all of the past graduates and future graduates
to come -- all of us stand for the same values: Community, Respect, Spirit,
Wisdom and Righteousness. Never let these fade. Even now 11 years after
graduation I’m still close with many of my fellow classmates and if I don’t seem
them regularly in New York, I always make time when I’m back in Atlanta. So
choose to surround yourself with those who align with what you stand for
because the people you pick will have your back for a lifetime.
So there you have it, Instagram and The Davis Academy. One, a
digital establishment that fosters communities (sure they might be centered
around Grumpy Cat or Lil Bub, but a place for communities nonetheless). The
other, a bastion for not only the Jewish community of Atlanta, but the Jewish
Community of the world, Both sanctuaries that we can always turn to, that we
can always rely on. Both governed by the same rules on behaving virtuously. So
when you walk out of those doors tonight, remember that you’ll forever
represent the values you learned here and that you’ll never be alone.
Because once a Davis Lion, always a Davis Lion.
Congratulations Class of 2015! You’re doing great!
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