Undergraduate / The fear of speaking the English language in America [2]

My mother once said "A strong person is not one who never encounters difficulties but one who continues to walk forward despite the difficulties." This has since become the philosophy I embrace as well as the type of individual I admire and aspire to be. During one of the most difficult challenges I have encountered, my mother's words led me back towards the right path.

After migrating to America at the age of 12, I faced great difficulty in learning the English language, This factor brought me great self-consciousness and fear. I dreaded writing assignments and was terrified of public speaking, constantly afraid that people would glance at me weirdly or laugh at my mistakes. During each presentation and class discussion, my palms would be soaked with sweat and knees constantly shaking as I anxiously awaited my turn while running over what to say in my head. I would often choose to speak as little as possible, ignoring the quality of my work as well as their effects on my grades. When high school began, my fears began to negatively impact my academic life in a much greater way as the courses became more challenging and the number of presentations, class discussions and writing assignments piled up . However, not wanting to acknowledge my weakness, I would often use my shy personality as an excuse for not speaking up and seeking the help I needed. I was blinded. My goals and the desire to learn-I had forgotten them in the name of fear.

With grades continuously falling and my mother's painfully disappointed silence, I slowly began to acknowledge that I had been walking in the opposite direction my mother's words-my own forgotten philosophy-advised me to. I came to a realization that I had been living with fear and it was now time to stop allowing the challenges in my way limit me from achieving all that I could. No more excuses. No more doing what my fear advised me to. I was determined to be prove to myself that I was capable of so much more.

Through trials of mistakes and corrections, hours of practice and determination, I can now proudly say that I have overcome my fears. I am now able to stand with confidence while thoroughly delivering my presentation. I am no longer afraid of sharing my ideas with the class and by challenging myself to keep a diary written entirely in English as well as dedicating extra hours on writing assignments, my fear of writing has also disappeared. This experience has shown me the consequences of fears and taught me that I must never let them stop me from reaching my full potential. It is also a period of time in which I always look back when I am faced with a triumph and remind myself that through perseverance and hard work, I am greater than the obstacles in my way.