Students | May 24, 2012

Jacqueline Rossi's speech at Harvard College Class Day 2012

Humorous student speech at Harvard College Class Day 2012

As the theme of her Ivy Oration, one of two humorous student speeches given on Class Day, Jacqueline Rossi ’12 used a twist on the inscription from Harvard Yard's Dexter Gate: not "Enter to grow in wisdom," but "Enter to grow in weirdness."

Rossi questioned whether wisdom is all it's cracked up to be, using several famous names as examples: "Take Sir Isaac Newton—he was surprised when an apple fell on his head while sitting under an apple tree? ...And if Mark Zuckerberg didn't invent Facebook, he still wouldn't have any friends."

She encouraged a definition of wisdom that includes making mistakes: "They make your life the joke that everyone can laugh at, just like Buddha's belly or Steven Pinker's haircut." This way, "after enough mistakes and unrelenting laughter, you'll find yourself as an old, wise Harvard graduate who made the world a better place just by being yourself."

You might also like

Wrought iron gates with intricate design, framed by greenery against a clear blue sky.

A summer program helps students from under-resourced high schools close a hidden academic gap.

Ronny Chieng wearin a suit speaks passionately at a wooden podium outdoors.

Ronny Chieng Tells Harvard to ‘Destroy AI’ as Graduates Cheer

The comedian and The Daily Show host gave the keynote address for Class Day 2026.

Former Harvard President Lawrence S. Bacow in a red academic robe gestures passionately at a podium, with seated audience members behind.

Phi Beta Kappa Speakers Call Out a ‘Deeply Troubling’ Moment

Former Harvard President Lawrence Bacow and poet Meghan O’Rourke urge graduates to focus on character and “radical attention.”

Most popular

A blue refrigerator covered with animal pictures, notes, and drawings, surrounded by greenery.

An animal’s journey from grief to love shows how much humans need each other, too.

Photo montage showing Harvard’s Widener Library and the edifice of the Supreme Court divided by a gavel.

The Supreme Court Affirmative Action Rulings: An Analysis

The underlying arguments project clashing worldviews of race and appropriate remedies.

White House and Harvard University buildings split diagonally with contrasting colors.

Harvard Weathers a Year of Turmoil

The federal government has launched unprecedented actions against the University. Here’s a guide.

Explore More From Current Issue

Label showing the anatomy of a worker bee, featuring a detailed illustration.

Museums & Collections

Science and art capture the microscopic natural world.

Colorful abstract design resembling an octopus with intricate swirls and patterns.

Research

Growing liver implants, mapping the sense of smell, and journalism at risk

Racing driver gives a thumbs up from inside a car, wearing a helmet and safety gear.

Alumni Profiles

Harvard graduate and NASCAR racer Patrick Staropoli on pedals, attention, and fearlessness.