Selena Gomez was one of many celebrities today to send a personal message to class of 2020 graduates for Facebook and Instagram’s big #Graduation2020 event this afternoon. The singer offered some honest advice to students and empathized with many people’s disappointment that because of the coronavirus pandemic and the need to social distance, most graduation ceremonies worldwide aren’t happening as they normally do. Schools are closed; students are remote learning; and prom and graduation ceremonies are only happening virtually if at all.
Gomez quoted #Graduation2020’s commencement speaker Oprah Winfrey in her speech and urged viewers to keep persevering. She said:
“When people ask me if there’s something that I would tell my younger self, I always said, ‘Go ahead and do it.’ You all have worked incredibly hard to get to this point, and I know it’s not exactly how you’d imagine your graduations would look like, but I want to say it’s okay not to know what you want to do with the rest of your life. It’s a journey to find your direction or your passion so don’t get frustrated by the mistakes and setbacks, as they happen to all of us. The amazing Oprah, like she said, ‘you don’t become what you want, you become what you believe,’ and I think that really resonates as if you don’t believe in yourself, don’t expect others to believe in your abilities. Hopefully, you know, when large gatherings are allowed, everybody can get together and celebrate the important achievement but until then stay safe, stay connected with your friends and your loved ones, and congratulations for this milestone!”
You can watch her full speech below: