The Last Word

By Bob Lee | Posted: Monday October 19, 2020

I will start with a question: how would you like to be remembered?

Especially for the Year 13’s who are leaving OBHS and are packing a mental suitcase for the next chapter of your life. Personally, in my suitcase, I have packed what I would bring with me and what I would leave behind, and I hope before I close this chapter this is how I would be remembered.

2020 has been a heck of a year. From the bush fires, Kobe, COVID, to my receding hairline. This four-year-long chapter is coming to an end and I have picked these memories to bring along with me. Firstly, I somehow got a formal partner and went to the formal, and decided to ditch her for an hour just for photos with the lads. Secondly, my memories in the hostel. "My GTI goes up to 300km/h,”  “You sound like Elmo,” “I can't see your eyes,” “You are fat.” While some of it might sound mean to you, I assure you it's just banter. It really just is. It shows the bond of the brotherhood showing the difference between a friend and a brother. They have always stuck with me no matter good or bad times and hostels just have a different way of saying, "I love you," and of course I can’t miss out on my time in OBHS. The friendships I have formed along with my awesome desk mates has made my time at OBHS better, and I will always appreciate the period long life stories from teachers e.g. Commando King. But there are always some regrets, yet I am proud to say I pushed myself out of my comfort zone. Playing rugby for the first time ever for the senior whites where I think I was literally standing up in the scrums. Not to mention my proudest rugby debut in the hostel vs day boy match for three minutes. I have a lot more to talk about, but in honesty, I wrote this two nights ago and this is all that I am taking away with me for now.

Moving onto the leaving behind section, Formula One has been a pain in the backside to watch. With Williams getting sold, stupid driver market movements, and Ferrari is simply defined as garbage. But back to hostel, thank God I am leaving (I am sad but not). I will miss my memories dearly but not the living conditions. I am happy to leave this auditorium in which I set off the fire alarm and got three fire trucks outside school during production. I am also happy to have this chance to redeem myself on my really sub-par lockdown last word. To all my friends, I hope we can leave the grudges and fights we had behind. To the Year 11, 12 students telling you to put on your blazer is just my job, so don’t hate me.

I want to be remembered as the Asian prefect who has a better final last word than the three upcoming prefects. Remembered as the person who laughs like Elmo. Remembered as a friend, a brother who will help you. All of us can be remembered in a unique way. The experiences we had as a person are what make us, us. We soon are going our different ways, so let us pack our mental suitcase and never forget the memories we forged with our mates. Just like every suitcase you chuck in the back room, forget it for a while and bring it out every now and then, so we can embrace the new journey ahead. If this sounds familiar to you, yes I plagiarized and paraphrased it. Thank you Max Chu. 

To end this speech in a traditional OBHS manner, I would end it with a quote which I got from the first search result of 'the best quotes'. “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." — Nelson Mandela.