Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of '99 

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be 

it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by 

scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable 

than my own meandering 

experience…I will dispense this advice now. Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not 

understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded. 

But trust me, in 20 years you'll look back at photos of yourself and 

recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before 

you and how fabulous you really looked….You're not as fat as you 

imagine. Don't worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as 

effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing 

bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that 

never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm 

on some idle Tuesday. Do one thing everyday that scares you Sing Don't be reckless with other people's hearts, don't put up with 

people who are reckless with yours. Floss Don't waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you're ahead, sometimes 

you're behind…the race is long, and in the end, it's only with 

yourself. Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you 

succeed in doing this, tell me how. Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements. Stretch Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your 

life…the most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they 

wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year 

olds I know still don't. Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees, you'll miss them when they're gone. Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't, maybe you'll have children,maybe 

you won't, maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky 

chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary…what ever you do, don't 

congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either – your 

choices are half chance, so are everybody else's. Enjoy your body, 

use it every way you can…don't be afraid of it, or what other people 

think of it, it's the greatest instrument you'll ever 

own.. Dance…even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room. Read the directions, even if you don't follow them. Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly. Get to know your parents, you never know when they'll be gone for 

good. Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the 

people most likely to stick with you in the future. Understand that friends come and go,but for the precious few you 

should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and 

lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you 

knew when you were young. Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live 

in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft. Travel. Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will 

philander, you too will get old, and when you do you'll fantasize 

that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were 

noble and children respected their elders. Respect your elders. Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund, 

maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one 

might run out. Don't mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will 

look 85. Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who 

supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of 

fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the 

ugly parts and recycling it for more than 

it's worth. But trust me on the sunscreen...