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Hello graduates, parents, teachers, coaches and tias that bring empty containers just in case there are leftovers at the party.

My name is Zach Abeyta, and I am a stand-up comedian from sa国际传媒官网网页入口. I went to school in sa国际传媒官网网页入口 and graduated from Valley High School in 2008. Yes, that was a long time ago. I am officially 鈥渦nc鈥� status and I know it.

I went on to the University of New Mexico and graduated with degrees in English and creative writing. I have performed doing what I love all over the country and all over New Mexico 鈥� big flex there.

I have gotten to work with some of my favorite comedians. I have won best comedian in sa国际传媒官网网页入口 and in New Mexico several times. Acquired millions of views online across several platforms. I have accomplished a lot.

But never have I felt more honored than to know that I am a proud, educated New Mexican who gets to live out his passion and teach the wonderful culture of the Land of Enchantment through stories and laughs.

First off, class of 2026. You made it.

In New Mexico that鈥檚 impressive. Getting to school and doing the work isn鈥檛 the only obstacle. There is hot air balloon traffic, high winds that can carry off a coyote, and the occasional roadrunner ate my homework.

You can鈥檛 even fail privately here. You miss one assignment and somehow your grandma hears about it before you even get home.

鈥淢ijo, why did you get a D in chemistry?鈥�

鈥淗ow do you know?鈥�

鈥淭he lady at Allsup鈥檚 told me.鈥�

Some of you are probably leaving town soon. Going off to college. Going off to the military. Moving away from sa国际传媒官网网页入口, or even scarier, moving somewhere that doesn鈥檛 have green chile.

You鈥檙e going to start missing the random stuff about New Mexico that you never realized. The smell of the rain here. Hot air balloons that are a normal sight in our skies. Your uncle grilling while wearing sunglasses at night. The emotional support gas station burrito. That last one got me through some tough times.

Adulthood is weird. This time right now in your life, this is peak.

Nobody tells you that after graduation everybody pretends they know what they鈥檙e doing. They don鈥檛.

We are still trying to chase our hopes and dreams while now having to pay bills and support families. Sometimes the dream can get a little lost along the way.

The truth is, nobody has it quite figured out. I know I didn鈥檛.

The trick is learning how to keep going anyway. Life isn鈥檛 about what happens to you. It鈥檚 about how you handle it.

Don鈥檛 panic if your life doesn鈥檛 look perfect right away. Some of the smartest people I know change careers many times. Some people find success at 22. Some at 42. And some are still trying to become streamers on Twitch with zero followers, just all heart.

Life moves different for everybody, and comparison can be a thief of joy. Meaning, that if you always compare yourself to everyone you see around you, or on social media, you鈥檒l never enjoy your own journey along the way.

And if there鈥檚 one thing I know about New Mexicans, it鈥檚 that they know how to survive tough situations.

You can survive college. You can survive military training. And you can survive moving out of your mom鈥檚 house 鈥� which might be the hardest.

Graduates, be proud of yourself, seriously. You grew up in a place that teaches toughness, humor, culture and community.

New Mexico teaches you how to laugh when things go wrong. How to help your neighbors. How to make something absolutely beautiful out of almost nothing.

That matters.

The world needs people like you. People with grit. People with stories. People who know the difference between red and green is a serious question.

Before I go, I want to give you one final piece of advice:

Don鈥檛 let embarrassment stop you from trying things. Get out of your comfort zone as often as possible. That is where you鈥檒l grow the most as a person.

Most of life is just being willing to look dumb long enough to get good at something.

Apply for the job. Start the business. Move to the city. Tell someone you love them. Try stand-up comedy one time and completely bomb in front of your friends and family at your local open mic night.

The point is to go and live your life to the fullest. Because one day you鈥檒l wake up and realize these were the good old days.

I鈥檝e always lived life by this motto. Don鈥檛 care what anybody else thinks about you, except for the 18-year-old version of yourself.

And your grandma, of course.

Class of 2026, congratulations.

Drive safe. Hug your moms. And if you move out of state, always be proud to show that you are an educated New Mexican from the Land of Enchantment.