Clay Jensen’s Graduation Speech from 13 Reasons Why (Season 4) [2020]

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Excerpt: Read Clay Jensen’s Graduation Speech in full from Season 4 of 13 Reasons Why and see why, for Clay, it all comes down to one question…

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Introduction: Surviving High School

13 Reasons Why is a TV Series that revolves around high school student Clay Jensen and the aftermath of high school student Hannah Baker’s suicide leaving behind a box of cassette tapes in which she details why she chose to end her life. It’s an intense series and is recommended for a Mature audience as it dives deep into a variety of sensitive topics that are graphic and triggering in nature.

Through its various storylines, the show explores social issues affecting modern youth, in particular, and covers issues such as suicide, sexual assault, bullying, racism, jock culture, mental health, drug addiction, domestic violence, homophobia, deportation, police brutality, steroid use, homelessness, HIV, abortion and school shootings. While 13 Reasons Why has received a ton of mixed feedback in how these issues were presented, what I found to be most valuable was the larger conversation that was sparked as a result.

Talking to young adults about anything—let alone sensitive topics—can be extremely challenging. But, it’s a challenge that needs to be accepted head on. Because it’s during those young adult years that those sensitive topics can have the most extreme effect on their lives. If left to their own devices, who knows what they’ll read, who they’ll listen to, or how legitimate the information they find will be. And if not from a trusted adult, then who? It’s just not a safe bet to assume they’ll figure it all out on their own.

That’s what I think 13 Reasons Why got right—they didn’t shy away from the sensitive and otherwise, taboo topics, and confronted them head on. For me, how they presented them isn’t really the purpose of this writing—it’s that they WERE presented and that the conversations could then be had. 13 Reasons Why, I see, as a platform that can serve as a foundation—a conversation-starter—for these issues between trusted adults and our young people. Because some things should NOT be learned from experience—they should be learned from conversation and understanding.

Because ultimately, what’s most important is the health and well-being of our young people and the last thing you want them to think is that they’re battling the challenges of life alone; that they have to figure everything out on their own; or that it’s “uncool” to ask for help or seek crisis resources. High school is no joke. And as you’ll read in Clay Jensen’s Graduation Speech from Season 4, it’s an experience that comes down to one question, will you survive? And that question should be taken seriously—because as so many of us know first hand, not everyone does.

And it’s our job, as a member of a family, social groups, and a community to look out for one another—particularly those who might be at risk. So, let’s do that. Let’s have the courage to have the tough conversations about the tough topics and find ways to keep moving forward, together. Let’s reach out to the young adults in our lives and make sure they’re doing okay, or, find ways to open the door to those sensitive topics to better gauge how they’re really doing. Or as Clay says in his graduation speech below, let’s find ways to keep moving, to get through it, and to keep choosing to live. Because life, even on the worst days, is still a pretty spectacular thing.

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Clay Jensen’s Graduation Speech In Full:

“It comes down to one question. Will you survive high school? Will I survive? Because I know too many people who didn’t. In the past two years, three people who I loved have died. And two… two other people who I thought I hated, also died. But I learned that hate is too simple. Jessica’s right. Hate is easy. Love and understanding are harder. But they are how we take care of each other, how we survive. My dad loves to tell me stories about when he was in high school. The stories usually involve chess club and obscure bands with funny haircuts, because the ’80s were a strange, strange time. But he always gets one thing right. He knows high school can hurt. That it can be painful. That there are days when that’s all it is. And he once told me that he’s living proof… you can survive. You can get through it. He’s living proof, and so am I. And so are all of you. And the thing is, for me, for us, this class, this… this generation, high school actually is life or death. We show up every day not knowing if this is the day we die. If this is the day someone shows up with a gun and tries to kill us all. We practice what we’ll do if that happens. Life or death. I suffer from anxiety and depression. But mostly anxiety. I sometimes think all of us kids do, in some way. And how could we not, with the world the way it is? We hear a lot of promises that things will get better. And… and, look, maybe they will, maybe they won’t. And what I think I’ve learned, what I wanna say to you is whatever happens, keep moving. Get through it. Choose to live. ‘Cause even on the worst day, there are people who love you. There’s new music waiting for you to hear, some… something you haven’t seen before that will blow your mind in the best way. Even on the worst day, life is a pretty spectacular thing.”

Clay Jensen, Graduation Speech, 13 Reasons Why (Season 4)

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For Crisis Resources or for more information on topics covered in the show visit 13ReasonsWhy.info.

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