Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud, and how does it relate to the person you are?
Pinned to the corkboard on my wall is an award I am especially proud of that reads: "______: Most Likely to be a Comedian". I received this award in the public speaking class I took in ninth grade. Had you told me at the beginning of the year that I would be winning this class superlative, I probably would have laughed. I began that year in class nervous about speaking in front of a group and concerned that people would laugh me. Little did I realize that this public speaking class would be an influential experience for me in high school.
During my first impromptu speech, I attempted to be funny. I was a little apprehensive about trying to be humorous as my dry humor often involved wordplay that some people do not understand. The last thing I wanted to do was stand in front of the class, discouraged that no one understood my joke. Surprisingly, my classmates laughed, and as I looked around the classroom I observed that everyone was genuinely enjoying the speech. This gave me the confidence for the rest of the year to continue being funny.
I will never forget some of the speeches I gave in my public speaking class. There was a stand-up comedy unit in the class, and the first joke I told during my routine is even now my favorite: I wrote "The World" on a sheet of paper, placed in on the floor, stood on top of the paper, and declared "I'm on top of the world." However, there were also times when my speeches were dull and my jokes not very humorous. This did not discourage me; I understood that one must be humble about his talents, for failure is bound to occur at sometime or another. I did not let one failed joke restrict me from attempting to deliver amusing speeches.
I realized that at the beginning I had focused too much on my fear of public speaking and had almost let that fear interfere with my natural personality. My classmates' laughter was a motivation for me to be confident and uphold my individuality, and I learned to apply that lesson outside of the classroom as well.
I would like to think that I have always had a good sense of humor, but after taking the public speaking class I also realized how meaningful humor is to my life. To see other people laugh or smile makes me happy. I like to utilize humor in various situations, like during a speech or when talking to friends, to just lighten the mood. I find that humor, when appropriate, makes almost any situation more pleasing and relaxing. At times, while working in a group, I notice some group members become nervous or stressed out; a simple humorous comment that creates laughter is all that it takes to bring a positive mood back to the group. Sometimes, when I am concerned with deadlines or tense about something, humor gives me the confidence and refreshment to focus on my task. From my experience in the public speaking class, I have found that the saying "Laugh and the world laughs with you" holds true.
The certificate I received in my public speaking class reads "Most Likely to be a Comedian", though that may be overstating my comedic talent. That being said, my ambition to be humorous and to make other people laugh has instilled a new confidence in me. It is highly unlikely that I will ever become a stand-up comedian, but as long as I can make someone laugh and smile, I am content being called a comedian.
Please be honest. It may be a little short, but that's because my other essay is quite long. If necessary, I can trim the first one a little. Thanks in advance!
Pinned to the corkboard on my wall is an award I am especially proud of that reads: "______: Most Likely to be a Comedian". I received this award in the public speaking class I took in ninth grade. Had you told me at the beginning of the year that I would be winning this class superlative, I probably would have laughed. I began that year in class nervous about speaking in front of a group and concerned that people would laugh me. Little did I realize that this public speaking class would be an influential experience for me in high school.
During my first impromptu speech, I attempted to be funny. I was a little apprehensive about trying to be humorous as my dry humor often involved wordplay that some people do not understand. The last thing I wanted to do was stand in front of the class, discouraged that no one understood my joke. Surprisingly, my classmates laughed, and as I looked around the classroom I observed that everyone was genuinely enjoying the speech. This gave me the confidence for the rest of the year to continue being funny.
I will never forget some of the speeches I gave in my public speaking class. There was a stand-up comedy unit in the class, and the first joke I told during my routine is even now my favorite: I wrote "The World" on a sheet of paper, placed in on the floor, stood on top of the paper, and declared "I'm on top of the world." However, there were also times when my speeches were dull and my jokes not very humorous. This did not discourage me; I understood that one must be humble about his talents, for failure is bound to occur at sometime or another. I did not let one failed joke restrict me from attempting to deliver amusing speeches.
I realized that at the beginning I had focused too much on my fear of public speaking and had almost let that fear interfere with my natural personality. My classmates' laughter was a motivation for me to be confident and uphold my individuality, and I learned to apply that lesson outside of the classroom as well.
I would like to think that I have always had a good sense of humor, but after taking the public speaking class I also realized how meaningful humor is to my life. To see other people laugh or smile makes me happy. I like to utilize humor in various situations, like during a speech or when talking to friends, to just lighten the mood. I find that humor, when appropriate, makes almost any situation more pleasing and relaxing. At times, while working in a group, I notice some group members become nervous or stressed out; a simple humorous comment that creates laughter is all that it takes to bring a positive mood back to the group. Sometimes, when I am concerned with deadlines or tense about something, humor gives me the confidence and refreshment to focus on my task. From my experience in the public speaking class, I have found that the saying "Laugh and the world laughs with you" holds true.
The certificate I received in my public speaking class reads "Most Likely to be a Comedian", though that may be overstating my comedic talent. That being said, my ambition to be humorous and to make other people laugh has instilled a new confidence in me. It is highly unlikely that I will ever become a stand-up comedian, but as long as I can make someone laugh and smile, I am content being called a comedian.
Please be honest. It may be a little short, but that's because my other essay is quite long. If necessary, I can trim the first one a little. Thanks in advance!