Impressions of the Entrance Ceremony | Satoko Nagata, Assistant to the Dean, Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care
April 18, 2023
Ever since the dean asked me to give the congratulatory address at the entrance ceremony, as it was our faculty's turn, I spent all of March feeling a weight on my shoulders, even while juggling my other work. For the new students, it is a once-in-a-lifetime special day. To be honest, I don't remember much of the speech from my own entrance ceremony, but now, with live streaming, it can be watched from anywhere in the world, including by parents and guardians. The thought that I couldn't say anything strange made my stomach ache.
When I searched for past congratulatory speeches, I came across many fascinating ones, from insightful talks based on historical anecdotes to speeches full of humor and warmth that revealed the speaker's personality. However, it was too late to try to acquire such culture or character now.
Since my own children are of a similar age, I thought I could just convey what I wanted to tell them, and I started writing a draft. However, it turned into a complete lecture. Fearing it would demotivate the students on their very first day, I scrapped the whole thing.
When I consulted with people around me, I received advice such as making the content easy for new students to understand by listening, not leaning too heavily on my own academic field, and including personal anecdotes. So, I tried to recall events from my own student days, but while memories of club activities, seminar trips, and even pulling all-nighters with friends to finish our graduation theses came flooding back, nothing suitable for a congratulatory address came to mind.
After much thought, I decided to focus on the simple messages of "meeting a mentor for life" and "finding something you can be passionate about." I managed to finish the draft by centering it on my encounter with a brilliant friend with whom I shared the joys and struggles of nursing practicum. The dean reviewed it and gave me a reassuring "it's fine," which felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders.
On the day of the entrance ceremony, the weather was beautifully calm and clear, a complete change from before. Hiyoshi Station was overflowing with students in suits and their parents. On the Hiyoshi Campus, many of the cherry blossoms that had bloomed early were still there, shining in the sunlight. The auditorium, which I hadn't visited in a long time, was grand and impressive. I felt that just being able to attend the entrance ceremony at this place on this day was a happiness in itself, and I hoped that I could at least finish my part without dampening that happy feeling.
During the ceremony itself, the President carefully explained the fundamental purpose of the Juku and passionately encouraged the students to fully enjoy their student life, comparing the various resources offered by the Juku to attractions at a theme park. Seeing the students in the front rows listening with smiles on their faces helped me relax a little before my turn.
After somehow finishing my part and heading home with a sense of relief, I received an unexpected email on the train. It was from a friend from my university days, who said she had heard my speech. I knew her child was also starting university this year, but it turned out her child was one of the new students gathered at Hiyoshi that day, and she had been watching the live stream of the ceremony from home.
The brilliant friend I mentioned in my speech was her.
As I replied to her, I was deeply relieved that I hadn't exaggerated the story to make the speech more exciting. At the same time, knowing that my respect for my friend had been conveyed to her in such an unexpected way after more than 30 years, I gazed out the train window with a mix of embarrassment and bashfulness, and saw that the cherry trees were already preparing for the next season.
Finally, I would like to once again congratulate all of you who have newly joined SFC this spring. I hope that you all will also encounter much excitement and wonderful companions on this campus.