The Last Word

By Peter Crosson | Posted: Tuesday November 10, 2020

I didn't know what to write.

For some reason this tie, that seat where I sit each week, has given me the position to speak to you now on our final Tuesday assembly, and I’m very grateful for it. I have heard some great words of wisdom, some not so great, and many a good story from each prefect team over the last three years. But I know you guys don’t want a final piece of advice from me. I’m not going to tell you to make your bed, cause I think we’ve heard that enough, and I’m not going to give you that pearl of a study tip that invariably comes out in speeches at this time of the year.

Instead I want to say thanks.

My journey began 5 years ago, and what a hell of a five years it's been. I started it with the men sitting in front of me now. They may not have been men back then, actually to be honest they were scrawny runts that were poor excuses for the word teenager but, they were about to embark on the same journey as I was. Our only option was to figure each other out, get along, become mates. It’s crazy how quick the last 5 years have disappeared on me, but then I think about the stupid memories I’ve made, and it’s not so crazy. You lads are why every morning when I get up, I look forward to coming to school, although Zammit’s chem classes were a close second. I don’t care that the buildings look nice, that we’ve got a stupidly good rugby team or the second-best basketball team in Dunedin, because you lads have given a lot of joy to me on this journey. Be it from Friend brushing his teeth with deep heat on camp, the awesome times in Production, to cards with my best friends it’s been life changing. So thank you.

Whether we realise it or not OBHS has equipped and trained us to tackle the big wide world. You probably don’t think about it much and I know I don’t, but we go to the best school in Dunedin, and live in the best country in the world. The teachers here give us so much patience and time, purely so we can achieve higher than we originally thought possible. So before you all leave, if it's for summer for the 11s and 12s or forever for us year 13s. Say thanks. Give them a handshake, a hug whatever! Because they come to school to serve you lads. The least you can do is to acknowledge their efforts. This is a special place, a place with history and memories beyond comprehension, and I hope you year 11s and 12s see that. Please seize the days you have left, I only have one, and I’m starting to wish that there were a few more.

I’d like to finish with a quote.

"Shall memory rise and call to mind our days that long have sped
As our years go rolling by."

Thank you for the memories. Thank you for the life changing journey that the last five years have been.

And thanks, to the new brothers that I‘ve found.