By Faith W., ’29
I remember being surprised at how weak my arm felt, as if I was holding a dumbbell instead of a microphone. Standing in front of all of my high school classmates at our weekly Monday Meeting, I could feel my heartbeat in my ears as I studied the small silver holes in the head of the microphone and momentarily wished I was small enough to fit into one of them and disappear. I looked down at the short Women’s History month fact I had prepared and began to read. It wasn’t until I felt someone come up next to me and gently push the microphone closer to my face that I realized that no one could hear me. I finished a few seconds later and fought tears as I returned to my seat amid a smattering of polite applause.
I mostly felt embarrassed; I had failed at such a simple task and allowed my nerves to hijack my voice. For the rest of the meeting, I watched our Student Body President, a brilliant, charismatic senior make announcements and crack jokes with an apparent ease that I couldn’t fathom. I had so much respect and admiration for his public speaking skills– I wished I had the courage to be up there, self-assured and composed. As my embarrassment ebbed I felt another feeling boiling up in me; a sudden resolve. I wanted to get up there one day and try again.
Naturally a reserved person, adjusting to a new school freshman year had been difficult. I found a weird solace in hiding behind the masks we were still wearing at the time– covering most of my face made it easier to remain in my own little bubble, quietly observing others. Given my shyness, I was a bit surprised when a teacher encouraged me to run for Student Council. I surprised myself even more when I decided to run. The idea of being one of the student leaders who I so admired, up there leading the meetings, scared me, and yet it simultaneously drew me in like a magnet for reasons that I couldn’t have fully articulated at the time. It was precisely the fear that made me want to try– I wanted to prove to myself that I could conquer it.
This inescapable pull towards things that scare me has extended into every aspect of my life, from public speaking to basketball to academics. Aside from the responsibility I feel to myself, I often think about people less fortunate than I am; my cousins in Florida, family members in Jamaica, and girls just like me around the world who will never have access to an education. Many of them will never have the chance to take an AP science class, give a TEDx talk, or run for Student Council. I feel that I owe it to them, too, to take advantage of every opportunity, even the daunting ones. Getting out of my comfort zone is not just a personal obligation; it’s a privilege and a blessing.
Now, in front of my classmates as Student Body President, holding the microphone doesn’t trigger the waves of panic it once did. I no longer study the holes in the microphone; thanks to experience, I have gradually felt empowerment take the place of horror when I have the microphone in my hand. Recently, an underclassman told me that even though she loves being in Student Council, she would never run for President, because she could never get up there and speak like I do. She said it flippantly, like it was just a fact, but I saw so much of myself in her and immediately pushed back. She can. Because I did. Ultimately, that’s the best part of holding the microphone- being an example and encouraging those who I’ll eventually pass it on to, like so many others did for me.
Admissions Committee Comments
Faith’s essay introduces us to a challenge faced by many—a fear of public speaking. However, she is able to explore how that initial fear leads to a resolve to tackle the challenge head on. Through her subsequent growth, we can see how she cultivates a deeper understanding of her ability to effect change, capitalize on her opportunities, and inspire others. Students may face challenges in college, but Faith shows us how she’s able to persevere and use her experiences to develop herself into an impactful member of her community.
Faith W.“I gave myself plenty of time (months!) to come up with ideas, write multiple outlines, and refine drafts. As for the topic, I didn’t shy away from being completely honest and transparent about my feelings of failure and disappointment prior to conquering my fear of public speaking. Even though it was hard to be a little vulnerable and talk about a weakness, I felt that it only made my story more powerful! I used my explanation of how I overcame that particular challenge to describe my worldview and how I approach challenges more broadly.”
