Pressure

As a young kid, we are led to believe that the only way to get into your dream future, is get Straight A's and do lots of extracurricular activities. And you're going down that path, be careful. I'm not here to stop you or persuade you or to fail all your classes. Just remember this. Don't let people force you into doing things you don't want to do. Here is my story.

When my parents first introduced chess to me, I was amazed. There was so much detail and strategy behind it. I liked it so my parents sent me to a chess class. And then finally a tournament. I was about 10 when this happened. All I remember of this incident was that I hated it. I found no source of joy or fun in those 6 hours in that room. I lost all my games. My parents asked me if I wanted to do another one. I wanted to say no...but I couldn't. I wanted to make myself proud and my parents proud. Even if I hated it. So I went to tournament after tournament, losing and winning and crying each time. The pressure of making my loved ones happy and proud was killing me. I wanted to be good. But, I couldn't.

I went to over 40 tournaments. And they were all hell. Every single one. Last April, I decided I couldn't take it anymore. I was done. No matter how disappointed they are, I would still say no. We got into so many fights and crying fits over chess. To me, it was the worst game in the world. I couldn't handle it. So I called it quits. After that talk, the amount of pressure that lifted off me was amazing. I joined coding in place of that, and I love it. I made lots of programs, even a small choose your adventure game. I realized that in the end, its not about everyone else that matters. Its about you. Don't let other people influence you. If you win, you should be proud of yourself. You should try to make yourself happy first, then move on to others.

Don't succumb to pressure. Gain a hold of your surroundings. And think. Make yourself happy. Not your parents or teachers. Yourself.

Changing Seats

Hi, this was a speech I used for one of my competitions. Enjoy!

Changing Seats

Take a deep breath and start

As I walked into class, I saw a group of kids crowded around a piece paper. This only meant one thing -- a new seating chart.

Make eye contact with audience

It was either hit or miss, you sit next to your BFF or Crush or you don’t.

As I located my seat on the chart, I moved my heavy backpack to the table.

I checked my surroundings and I heard a loud thud next to me. I turned my head and saw the class clown plop his big chair next to me.

Option: Imitate plopping down my backpack?

I grumbled underneath my breath. Well this so called person, let us name him Bob, was not the brightest person in the bunch. He bothered everyone around and always was goofing. \(o < o)/

Of course, I didn’t want to associate with him so avoided him. I didn’t talk to him, I didn’t help him, and others did the same. Everyone thought he was a bad person, a corrupted human being

a outcast.

Get voice soft when mentioning the human being part

One day, we had our first group project, and my group consisted of two people: me and Bob.

Bob was quiet for most of the time, surprisingly.  As I was finishing up the timeline, I looked up to Bob to ask for a pencil sharpener, when I found a tear was running down his cheek.

Get soft at tear part.

I was taken aback by his mood but I didn’t want to provoke him so I left him alone. I glanced back up at him a few minutes later and I saw him crying more. This time I knew I had to do something, so I asked him…”Hey, are you ok?”. He looked up on me, not with his evil teasing mocking look I imagined but with a genuinely sad face.

Get soft at sad face part.

HE said,”It’s nothing”. I felt worried for him and I said back ,”There is something wrong. What’s going on?”. HE replied,”Why do people hate me?”.

Have a strong tone in last part

I was surprised at this sudden remark. “Hate you?” I replied. “Yeah. Why do people think that I’m a jackass, why do people loathe me, why do people, like you, avoid me? Why am I always alone! Is it because I’m dumb or is it because I’m retarded, or is it because I smoke? What is it with this world?” he said.

Pause.

I didn’t know what to say. At once he poured out more of all his bottled up emotion into one crying fit to me. Me. A complete stranger.

Slow down on last part

Kids were looking at us but I ignored them. I realized as was crying that he did all these “bad” things for attention. He wanted people to know who he was and talk to them. But he couldn’t. His family had a broken past that scared people, he had a menacing look , he tried to fit in by stealing,robbing,smoking, and etc.

Sad eye contact with audience.

I was speechless. From that day one ward, my mission was to help him get friends

I taught him how to talk, communicate,listen, and stop smoking. By the end of the quarter, he was changed into a whole different person. People loved him.

Pause

Then the teacher put up another seating chart. To me, I realized this chart was a gateway to new worlds,friends, and adventures. Everyone around you has their own pasts, things we don’t know, stories we’ve never heard. When we get older, this is a very important skill in life, because everywhere we communicate. Everywhere we talk.

Breath.

When you have the choice to sit where you want, sit away from your friends. Sit somewhere new and exciting. Do new things, not the same old things. Meet new Personalities and meet new friends. Every person has their own story to share with the world.

THE END