Hi!! I'm having a lot of trouble with this specific essay, especially with the character limit, I'm already over it, and I feel like my essay is not as specific as it can be. I've added the prompt below.
Tell us more about ONE or TWO activities listed above that are most important to you. Please explain the role you played and what you learned in the process. You will be asked for a reference who can speak to your response. (maximum 2100 characters)
I was always labeled as "the quiet kid." During parent-teacher conferences, my teachers often remarked, "Anly's so quiet in class," a comment that followed me year after year. I never dared to raise my hand in class, all because of one question: "What if I fail?"
However, when my family traveled to the US, the hold my shyness had on me was put to the test. My parents, being born in Paraguay, only spoke Spanish and I was the only English speaker. My family relied on me to express themselves. When I failed to do so, the words stuck in my throat, my mother was left struggling to communicate. Being shy led to my failure. It was not just me failing, but my whole family suffering because of it. I knew then I had to change.
As I entered high school, I chose to face my fear by joining the debate team. I was terrified. Terrified of the vast crowd standing in front of me, listening attentively for all faults in my words. Failing became a weekly occurrence. Yet, I showed up every week and slowly, I began to improve. Each failure taught me a lesson, and with every critique, I adapted. Despite my initial disdain, I came to find genuine passion in speaking my mind.
Through my resilience, I now stand as the debate team president, leading the meetings that once frightened me. Beyond preparing our team for tournaments, creating lessons, and planning guest speakers, I make it my goal to inspire the quiet newcomers. I see reflections of my younger self in the way they grip their notes tightly, afraid to speak. I use my empathy to guide them, helping them to break through their own boundaries, just as I did. It fills me with joy to witness their growth, knowing that under my leadership, they are beginning to find their voices in ways I once only dreamed of.
Looking back I am grateful for my shyness, for without it I wouldn't have joined debate and I wouldn't have learned to voice my own perspectives. Through this journey I've rewritten my internal dialogue: no longer is it, "What if I fail?" Instead, I now ask, "What if I succeed?" That single question continues to motivate me to seek new challenges.
Tell us more about ONE or TWO activities listed above that are most important to you. Please explain the role you played and what you learned in the process. You will be asked for a reference who can speak to your response. (maximum 2100 characters)
I was always labeled as "the quiet kid." During parent-teacher conferences, my teachers often remarked, "Anly's so quiet in class," a comment that followed me year after year. I never dared to raise my hand in class, all because of one question: "What if I fail?"
However, when my family traveled to the US, the hold my shyness had on me was put to the test. My parents, being born in Paraguay, only spoke Spanish and I was the only English speaker. My family relied on me to express themselves. When I failed to do so, the words stuck in my throat, my mother was left struggling to communicate. Being shy led to my failure. It was not just me failing, but my whole family suffering because of it. I knew then I had to change.
As I entered high school, I chose to face my fear by joining the debate team. I was terrified. Terrified of the vast crowd standing in front of me, listening attentively for all faults in my words. Failing became a weekly occurrence. Yet, I showed up every week and slowly, I began to improve. Each failure taught me a lesson, and with every critique, I adapted. Despite my initial disdain, I came to find genuine passion in speaking my mind.
Through my resilience, I now stand as the debate team president, leading the meetings that once frightened me. Beyond preparing our team for tournaments, creating lessons, and planning guest speakers, I make it my goal to inspire the quiet newcomers. I see reflections of my younger self in the way they grip their notes tightly, afraid to speak. I use my empathy to guide them, helping them to break through their own boundaries, just as I did. It fills me with joy to witness their growth, knowing that under my leadership, they are beginning to find their voices in ways I once only dreamed of.
Looking back I am grateful for my shyness, for without it I wouldn't have joined debate and I wouldn't have learned to voice my own perspectives. Through this journey I've rewritten my internal dialogue: no longer is it, "What if I fail?" Instead, I now ask, "What if I succeed?" That single question continues to motivate me to seek new challenges.
