Overcoming Shyness in High School

High school is arguably the best four years of a person’s life. Individuals are growing, learning, and preparing to venture into the reality of the world known as adulthood. However, overcoming shyness and whether people make these years their best or worst years will determine whether or not this is truly the best time of their lives. In order to get the most out of high school as one can, one must learn not to care what others think about them – which is the most valuable lesson I’ve learned in high school.

An obstacle that I have dealt with in my life is shyness. Ever since I was a young kid, I have always been very shy in multiple situation that were. Whether it was talking to a new kid, speaking in front of the class, greeting somebody my parents knew but I did not, ordering food, or asking for help in a store: I would try to hide inside of myself. I was simply uncomfortable in any circumstance, large or small, that involved somebody I didn’t know and/or multiple people all at once. This made life rather difficult for me, especially since my parents knew I had to get over this. Thus, they would push me to do things such as putting me in multiple programs that involved a large amount of people or ask somebody a question I had instead of having them ask for me, in hopes that I could get over my shyness. Although this was all for my benefit and I agree that these actions were necessary, it would simply cause me even more stress and anxiety, as it was intense pressure on me to do what I dreaded to.

During my sophomore year of high school I was eventually grasped the concept that it really doesn’t matter what anybody thought of me. With this new-found attitude, I was able to walk the halls with ease, talk to new people, and not worry about this problem as much. Throughout my school years, I always had good friends – few of them, but great ones. Then in my junior year, I began to make new friends through the ones I already had.

Finally, in my senior year, I was able to branch off and make friends by myself. I did not care anymore if somebody thought I was odd or different, because everybody is in their own way. I was so wrapped up in the need for everybody to think I’m perfect that I just followed the crowd. I never did anything for myself, nor did I take the initiative for anything.I am no longer dependent on others in almost any predicament. I realized that a situation is only awkward if I it awkward, and with this I could now order my own food, ask a stranger a question, and take the lead to acquire information with ease.

Although some may have always been able to do such simple tasks, they were much more difficult for me and I now take pride in having overcome my shyness – one of the biggest obstacles of my life.Overcoming shyness can help in college and beyond by allowing me to understand that it is important not to live your life trying to impress others is the most valuable lesson I’ve learned in high school, because it allows me to freely act the way I want without worrying what others are thinking. Not only that, but I have taken it a step further by trying to share my helpful knowledge with my friends that are stuck in their shyness. I try to guide them in overcoming it, just like I have, in hopes that they can experience life anew. It has drastically changed my life as I now go to interact with individuals throughout my state, broadcast ideas and fundraisers throughout my school, and get along with almost anybody. This is a lesson that will impact events throughout the rest of my life, and hopefully get me to where I need to be.

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