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RemarksbytheFirstLadyatEasternKentuckyUniversityCommencementThankyousomuch.(Applause.)Oh,mygoodness.Goodevening.Thankyou.Iamjustoverwhelmed.Andasanhonorarydegreeholder,itisnowmypleasuretosay,GoColonels!(Applause.)IwanttostartbythankingPresidentWhitlockforthatverykindintroduction,butmoreimportantly,forhisdecadesofservicetothisuniversityandtothiscountry.Anditismyhonortobehereonyourlastcommitment.AndIalsowanttothankyourwifeandyourfamily,becauseIknowthattheyhaveservedrightalongwithyou.Socongratulations.Iamsogladtobeheretoday.(Applause.)IalsowanttorecognizeGovernorBeshearandhiswifeanddearfriendofours,Jane,aswellasRichmondMayorJimBarnes,whoishere;alloftheelectedofficialswehavewithustonight;alsotheUniversitySingersforthosebeautifulselections--justgiftedindividuals.AndIdon’twanttoleaveoutCandaceforherveryinspiringremarks.Andtothe14menandwomenwhojustbecamethenewestofficersintheUnitedStatesArmy--yes.(Applause.)Andofcourse,Iwanttojoinininrecognizingallofthesebeautifulpeopleinthestandstoday–-thefamilymemberswhosupportedyoualleverystepoftheway.Andsincetomorrowiswhat?AUDIENCE:Mother'sDay.MRS.OBAMA:I'msureeverybodyisontheirjobs,right?Gotflowersordered,everything?Iwanttogiveaspecialgreetingtomyfellowmoms,andcongratulateyouforsuccessfullycomingoutontheothersideofadolescenceinonepiece.You’vedoneit.Youhavesucceededinraisingcollegegraduates.Iwelcomeanyadviceyouhaveonhowyougotitright.Butmostofall--yes,indeed,tothemoms,andthegrandmoms,andthegodmoms,andallthemomfiguresinourliveswhokeepusgoing.(Applause.)Thankyouall.Butmostofall,Iwanttocongratulatethestarsoftoday’sshow--theEKUClassof2013!Yes!(Applause.)Youallshouldproud,veryproud.Asthepresidentsaid,thisisatruemilestoneinlife.AndIcanonlyimaginethemixofemotionsthatyoumustbefeelingatthismoment--theunbridledjoy,theunmistakablesenseofutterrelief.(Laughter.)Youallwentthroughsomuchtomakeittothisday--thehighsandthelows,thetriumphs,thechallenges,thecelebrations,thedevastations--andI’mnotjusttalkingaboutyourlovelives,either.(Laughter.)I’mtalkingaboutallthosepapersyoupouredyourheartinto;allthosecaffeine-fueledall-nighters;thosemomentsofanxietyasyousetoutonyourown,lookingtofindnewfriendsyouclickedwithandanewcommunitytocallyourown.Andforsomanyofyou,Iknowthatgraduatingfromcollegewasnotaforegoneconclusion.Someofyoucamefromhighschoolsthatdon’tsendalotofkidstocollege.Someofyouhadtoworkfulltimesothatyoucouldnotonlypayforyourdegree,butalsosupportyourfamily.Andsomanyofyou,asIhaveseen,arefirstinyourfamiliestograduatefromcollege.SoIknowyoufacedallkindsofdoubtsanduncertaintieswhenyoufirstshoweduponthiscampus.AndIknowalittlebitaboutthatfrommyownexperiences.Asyou'veheard,myparentswereworkingfolkswhoneverearnedadegreepasthighschool.Theydidn’thavealotofmoney,sosendingmeandmybrothertoschoolwasahugesacrificeforthem.Thevastmajorityofourtuitioncamefromloansandgrants,butletmetellyou,everymonth,myfatherwouldwriteouthissmallcheck.Hewasdeterminedtopayhisportionofthattuitionrightontime,evenifitmeanttakingoutloanswhenhefellshort.See,whatourparentshadtoofferuswasawholelotoflove.Andwhilewecouldalwayscallhomeandtalkthroughtheupsanddownsofourliveswithourparents,thetruthistheycouldn’tgiveusalotmorethanthat.Theycouldn’tgiveusalotofguidancewhenitcametochoosingclassesandprofessors,orfindinginternshipsandjobs.SowhenIfirstsetfootoncollege,mycampus,itwasallabitofamysterytome.Andhonestly,inthebackofmymind,Icouldn’tshakethevoicesfromsomeofthepeopleatmyhighschoolwhotoldmethatIcouldnevermakeitattheschoolI’dchosen.WhenIfirstsetfootoncampus,oh,itallseemedsobigandoverwhelming.Ididn’tevenknowwheretostart--howtopickouttherightclasses,howtoevenfindtherightbuildings.SoIbegantothinkthatmaybeallthosedoubtersmighthavebeenright.Ididn’tevenknowhowtofurnishmyowndormroom.Isawalltheseotherkidsmovinginallsortsofcouchesandlampsanddecorationsfortheirrooms,butwhenIunpackedmybelongings,IrealizedthatIdidn’tevenhavetherightsizesheetsformybed–-minewerewaytooshort.Sothatfirstnight,Istretchedthesheetsdownasfarastheycouldgo,thenIdrapedthecoversoverthefootofmybedsowhenIcrawledintobedmylegswerestickingoutpastthesheets,rubbingupagainstthatcold,plasticmattress.AndIsleptthatwayfortheentirefreshmanyear.Butwhenyoucomefromafamilylikemine,that’swhatyoudo.Youmakethemostofwhatyou’vegot.(Applause.)Youuseallthatgoodcommonsenseandyoudon’tmakeexcuses.Youworkhard,andyoualwaysfinishwhatyoustart.Andnomatterwhat,yougiveeverybodyafairshake,andwhensomebodyneedsahand,youofferyours.See,thosewerethegiftsmyparentsgaveme--theirvalues.AndIquicklylearnedthatthosegiftswerefarmorevaluablethanmoneyorconnections.BecauseonceIgottocollege,IfoundthatwhenIappliedallthosevaluestomystudies,Iwasabletoset--developanentirelynewsetofskillsthatIwouldusefortherestofmylife--skillslikeresilience,problemsolving,timemanagement.Ilearnedtoturnstumblesandmisstepsintosourcesofmotivation.Aweekwiththreetestsandtwopaperswasn’tareasontostressout,butareasontoplan.Anegativecommentfromaprofessorinclasswasn’tareasontoshutdown,butareasontoaskevenmorequestions.Mostimportantly,Irealizedthatwhatreallymatteredwasn’thowmu