Life

Jennifer Nettles Gave the Commencement Speech at her Alma Mater

JENNIFER NETTLES gave the commencement speech on Saturday at her alma mater, Agnes Scott College.  It’s in Decatur, Georgia and she graduated from there in 1997.

She admitted to being nervous, which is ironic considering she performs for a living.  She also joked about pulling all-nighters and being “over-served” when she was a student.

Agnes Scott is a women’s college so most of her comments were, obviously, meant to inspire the next generation of ladies.

She said, quote, “I want you to be fearless dream warriors.  I want you to be the boss ladies of your own lives.  I want you to live authentically in your truth.  I want you to be so in touch with your truth that nothing can pull you off of your path.”

She talked about overcoming discrimination.  Quote, “I want you to be clear and to know that it will be harder for you as a woman to do it all . . . to have a dream and a job and a relationship and a family.

“And if you are a woman of color, it will be even harder.  I want you to be fierce for yourselves then and for each other, and fight to change all of that.”

And she told the graduates to never, ever settle.  Quote, “I want you to be curious women.  Let your favorite questions be ‘What if?’ and ‘Why not?’  Instead of ‘Why me?’  Why not ask, ‘Why NOT me?’

“Somebody has to live her best life, achieve her goals, find love and fulfill all her dreams.  Might as well be you, right?  That’s how I look at it.  Might as well be me.  Might as well be you.  [It] should be you living her best life and fulfilling her dreams.”

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