Alumni M4

Throughout my life, I did not always have the most confidence. As I was growing up, people would constantly tell me how smart I was for my age and how mature I acted compared to everyone else. But in reality, I was just very quiet and shy. Whenever I had to talk to new people, go into a different environment, or talk in front of a group of people, I was scared. Terrified, in fact. I couldn’t deal with the stress of people looking at me. For this very same reason, I didn’t have very many friends either. I kept getting older, but nothing changed. That admiration that everyone had for me growing up started to turn to frustration. Not just with teachers, but with friends and family as well. It was difficult because I wanted to solve this problem, but I just didn’t know how. So I always kept things to myself and stopped myself from doing anything that would cause too much attention. The worst part of everything was being compared, though. My older sister was nothing like I was. She was always very strong and confident and didn’t have the same problems I did. She was involved in multiple programs. Everyone loved her. Even though she graduated, teachers still tell me how wonderful she was. Everyone expected me to be like her, so I was always being compared. I tried my best to live up to those expectations, but in the end, they were just too much. It seemed like I would never catch up. That was until my junior year, when I decided to join the 20/20 Leadership Program. My sister was in it, so I thought I could join and try to be just like her. I quickly came to realize that this program was special. Being confident and comfortable with public speaking was something everyone had to be comfortable with. So obviously, I struggled quite a bit in the beginning. But with all the new people I got to meet and new things I got to experience, for some reason, it just became a lot easier. Since we were doing it so much, I eventually learned to get comfortable with it and made many friends. I could share my opinions and talk to others without worrying that they would judge me. It gave me a sense of freedom that I had never experienced before. I made connections and learned many things, most of which will definitely be helpful in the future. It was life changing. I was able to see my community from a different perspective. Since it is now my senior year, I don’t have a lot of time left in the program. But I am grateful for everything that it has given me. I want to inspire others to fully embrace the benefits of this program. Before I eventually graduate, I want to show the younger generation how to become confident and successful in hopes that they will pass it down as well.