Memorable Graduation Advice From the Stars28 of 38
Robert De Niro to NYU's Tisch School of the Arts Class of 2015:
"Tisch graduates, you made it. And, you're [effed]. Think about that.
The graduates from the College of Nursing? They all have jobs. The graduates from the College of Dentistry? Fully employed. The proud graduates of the NYU School of Law? They're covered. And if they're not, who cares? They're lawyers.
The graduates in accounting? They all have jobs. Where does that leave you? Envious of those accountants? I doubt it. They had a choice. Maybe they were passionate about accounting, but I think it's more likely that they used reason and logic and common sense to reach for career that could give them the expectation of success and stability.
But you didn't have that choice, did you? You discovered a talent, developed an ambition and recognized your passion. When you feel that, you can't fight it. You just go with it. When it comes to the arts, passion should always trump common sense. You aren't just following dreams, you're reaching for your destiny.
You're a dancer, a singer, a choreographer, a musician, a filmmaker, a writer, a photographer, a director, a producer, an actor, an artist. Yeah, you're [effed]. The good news is that's not a bad place to start. Now that you've made your choice, or rather succumbed to it, your path is clear. Not easy, but clear. You have to keep working. It's that simple."
"Tisch graduates, you made it. And, you're [effed]. Think about that.
The graduates from the College of Nursing? They all have jobs. The graduates from the College of Dentistry? Fully employed. The proud graduates of the NYU School of Law? They're covered. And if they're not, who cares? They're lawyers.
The graduates in accounting? They all have jobs. Where does that leave you? Envious of those accountants? I doubt it. They had a choice. Maybe they were passionate about accounting, but I think it's more likely that they used reason and logic and common sense to reach for career that could give them the expectation of success and stability.
But you didn't have that choice, did you? You discovered a talent, developed an ambition and recognized your passion. When you feel that, you can't fight it. You just go with it. When it comes to the arts, passion should always trump common sense. You aren't just following dreams, you're reaching for your destiny.
You're a dancer, a singer, a choreographer, a musician, a filmmaker, a writer, a photographer, a director, a producer, an actor, an artist. Yeah, you're [effed]. The good news is that's not a bad place to start. Now that you've made your choice, or rather succumbed to it, your path is clear. Not easy, but clear. You have to keep working. It's that simple."
PeopleRobert De Niro
Photo by Slaven Vlasic - © 2014 Getty Images - Image courtesy gettyimages.com