Essay about overcoming shyness
After ending my conversation with my friend I was amazed when the screen displayed the duration of the call. Two hours, five minutes, and twenty-four seconds, and my cell phone had one bar of battery left. This was the longest conversation I ever had in my life. In the past, I did not say much over the phone except: hi, bye, yes, and no. During my sophomore year I realized I was a pretty quiet person. Whenever I saw someone I knew I would just say hi and keep walking the other direction. I always went home right after school and did my homework. On the weekends, I did my chores like vacuuming or cleaning the toilets, and followed my parents wherever they went. I needed a better social life and to talk more because being quiet will not help me in my future.
My social skills expanded during my junior year. For an Academy of Finance class I had to do a mock interview with an employer from Jobs for Youth which is an organization to help teenagers gain job experience. After my teacher read the requirements of the project, I knew that I had a lot of work. I sought my parents' advice on how to succeed during an interview. My mother told me that I should sell myself. I must emphasize my qualities, dress professionally, and be knowledgeable about the company to show them that I am the best candidate for the job.
Rocking back and forth and feeling the perspiration on my face, I waited patiently for my name to be called. After my name was called, I entered a small meeting room, firmly shook my interviewer's hand, and we sat down. My teacher advised me that squeezing my thumb underneath the table would calm me down. As he was introducing himself I secretly gripped my thumb and I felt more relaxed. We began and the questions were not as difficult as I anticipated. The conversation was like a boat ride down a river with a few bumps and white water, but I made it safely to the nice sunny beach. I left the building with a smile on my face.
At school I am much closer to my teachers and ask questions if I do not understand the material. On Saturdays, I still do chores, but I also go on trips to the beach and go bowling. I can also apply my social skills in volleyball where I yell to let my teammates know what I am doing and cheer us on when we score points. When I go to college I am eager to join academic and social clubs and be environmentally active. My social skills will further develop my resume because I can handle an interview comfortably with confidence. College will provide me with the academic knowledge and experience that will help me obtain my goals, and my social skills will assist me be more ambitious in everything I do.
