how I agree to these things I'll never know

I'm currently trying to get about thirty things finished for next week and going out of my head with worry. There's the usual reading/film viewing/writing for classes. There's a proposal for my book arts final project (I was sorely tempted to do a chapbook but I'm going to be realistic and do a broadside series instead). There's organizing the release party for 580 Split (April 27th at the Elbo Room!) and writing up the press release. There's finalizing my thesis and getting it to Juliana for review. There's getting ready for my reading Tuesday night.

But the thing that's really hanging over my head and filling me with worry is: drafting a speech for commencement. It's a 3-minute thing to represent grad students at the event. As of last Thursday, no one had agreed to do it, and since I work in the Grad Studies office, I've been asked to come up with one.

What does one say in a graduation speech? And how can I present something that doesn't compromise me intellectually or artistically, while still fitting into the societal expectations of a graduation speech?