Month: March 2011

I will admit that at first, I thought 299 was going to be completely useless and a gigantic waste of my time. Were to meet once a week and it was only a one credit course. All those months ago, during our first 299 class when it was still public speaking, my thoughts were somewhere along those lines. That day, our TA, Nelson, asked us to give a little speech telling the class a little bit about ourselves. So we all did and that was it. I was a little irritated, because I though this class wasn’t going to challenge me in anyway. Then, the second class came. I completely forgot about what topic we were supposed to be presenting, but I wasn’t worried. I figured I would improvise and still be fine. The class went up to present one by one. I was going to be one of the last few to present. As it got closer and closer to me, there was a strange tingling in my chest. I instantly recognized it as nervousness. It wasn’t the kind of nervous you feel when you do something bad and your teacher or parent is about to call you on it. It was the kind of nervous you feel before walking on the stage to receive your high school diploma. The kind of nervous you feel before swimming a final in the biggest meet of your life. The kind of nervous you feel while talking to a girl. The kind of nervous that you like. Adrenaline surged through my body and I got extremely excited. Although I was just presenting to a small class of people who were probably not even listening to me, I liked it. So from then on I never missed a class. I showed up each week on time and waited for that tingling in my chest which never seemed to ease up. I learned in that one hour, once a week, one credit class that I loved to speak publicly and that I was somewhat good at it.

Then second semester came and before I knew it 299 turned into a small class where everyone could present into a huge lecture hall where whispers were like a light rain. Things changed I didn’t feel that tingling in my chest anymore. Instead, I let my thoughts run wild. We talked about resumes, cover letters and interviews. We talked about how smart people failed all the time because of their interviews, and how average people reached high positions and became successful because of their resumes. I tackled the resume and cover letter assignment with a fury, determined to make myself a document that would lead me to success. Learning about CAR statements and what not to do in interviews got me thinking about my future and what kind of career I should choose. I made that decision that no matter what path I chose, I would make a resume that would help me, and learn the skills needed for a great interview.

When I was younger, I was your typical Asian kid. I loved to watch TV, I loved to swim and I loved video games. Outside of school, those three things were pretty much what I did. I occasionally read a book from time to time, but I can’t say that I was a reader back then. The only thing I really did love to read were books like Harry Potter. So as a little kid that’s what I did, then came middle school and everything stayed the same, except that maybe I read even less than I did as a kid. Then came high school, where things change and you grow up. Up until that point in time, I was only pretty average in English and the books they made us read bored me. But things changed in ninth grade when I met Mr. Hara, one of the freshmen english teachers. He asked me to stay after class one day and asked me why my reading log was so incredibly poor. I gave him my honest answer: “Reading really isn’t my thing.” He looked at me quizzically, like I had just told him I was an alien. “No,” he said, “I think you’re wrong.” So we talked, and talked and talked. He asked me what I liked to do, who I usually hang out with, who I could relate to; he asked me what movies I like, what kind of burning questions I’ve always had. He asked me endless questions and at times, it they didn’t seem to be related at all to english or my reading log. A little over an hour later I walked out of his room with a sticky note that had a list of books that he recommended me. On the top of the list was “Interview with the Vampire” by Anne Rice. He told me that just for that week, I could forget about the reading log and the rest of the English homework and just focus on reading that book. It took me two days to read it because I had a hard time putting it down. My conversation with Mr. Hara taught me a little about myself, not alot, but enough to know what I appreciate in life and in stories. He taught me not to look for things that instantly catch my eye, but for the things that force us to dig deeper, try harder and force us to think. I read countless books afterwards, more than I could fit in that reading log. The books I read varied in genres, from action to fantasy, drama to romance. I found that there was something I could appreciate from any book of any genre and something that I could take away. From then on, I’ve found it very difficult to go through a day without reading a book. It has become more than a ritual, but something like a way of life.