Things I Learned: Be More Active

I joined a summer program called Economics for Leaders last year. It was only a week long, but it taught and encouraged me how to be more active in life.

There were only two Chinese in the entire program. The other thirty students were all from the U.S. So I and the other Chinese girl became friends but we were too shy to even speak a word. In the activities, I was eager to talk to others, but when they just looked at me, I can hardly say anything. In class, even though teachers arranged different seats for me every day, it was also difficult to talk to people beside me. An invisible wall stood between us.

However, no one was pushing me to talk. Instead, everyone encouraged me to talk more. In group works, they turned to ask me, “What do you think? What’s your idea?” It was a more natural way to give answer so I usually could express well. Even if I used any wrong words or phrases, they looked at me earnestly and paid a lot of attention.

Day by day, I seemed to have more confidence. After a leadership activity, I raised my hand the first time and gave my opinion. I could hear nothing but my voice, feeling my face burning due to nervousness. Other students got really quiet and waited till I finished my word.

In the evening talk (usually for appreciating any one or any thing in a day), most of my classmates raised their hands and appreciated my talk in the activity. And it encouraged me a lot, realizing that talking in public was not a difficult task. In the last day of the program, we held an activity called spirit walk. People were divided into groups. When one group was sitting, the other groups walked around them and touched them to show appreciation and encouragement. I was shocked that I got more touches than I expected.

After this program, I was more willing to talk to others in public, even though they are strangers. Because I know that every time I make effort to do something, some people may notice and acknowledge it, like my program classmates.