Hello
readers, I would like to share with you on this short article my not-so-great
story about my experience competing in a speech competition, despite being a
somewhat shy person. But just to warn you that this is not a story like the one
you expected. This is not a simple story about how I joined a competition and
win. This is not a story about my struggle and hard work to win (because
there’s hardly any ‘hard work’ - on my part at least).
This is not about my
competition, because there’s nothing special or inspiring about my competition.
This is about how sometimes in life, challenges - closely followed by success -
comes when you least expect it. This is about the amazing people I met and what
I learned from them. This is more of a story about what I learned from this
experience.
It all
started on a boring school day. I had only been in this school for 2 weeks; I
barely know most of my teacher’s name. And I’m still getting used to life in
boarding school; because like I said, I’m a somewhat shy person and would very
much prefer to stay at home. So, on that boring-as-usual day, my English
teacher approached me and one of my friend, Fikri, and out of nowhere asked a
really strange question to ask to a newcomer like me and Fikri. “Would you like
to participate in an English speech competition?” He inquired. I answered with a funny expression on my
face. An expression filled with confusion and a hint of fatigue after having
endured yet another day of boarding school. I look at Fikri who had the same
expression on his face. “Hmmm” I asked him, clearly showing my confusion. Fikri
replied with a bewildered look on his face, clearly as confused as I am. But
after a brief moment of confusedly staring at each other, I replied. “Sure...”
I said uncertainly, still bewildered. My English teacher replied with a nod.
And soon after briefly explaining about the speech, he left the area; leaving
us still confused. I continued my day as I usually do: I went back to the
dormitory, took a shower, eat and tried to sleep it off. But at night I came to
the realization of what I had just done. I had agreed to participate in a
speech competition, which I had never done and never thought of doing. What am
I going to do? What have I done?
I managed to
sleep that night and continued my morning as per usual: pray tahajjud, pray
fajr and prepare to start yet another day of school. After attending morning
assembly, I walk up to my classroom like I usually do. But soon after class
started, my English teacher called Fikri and I.
He briefed us in depth about
the competition. He explained the rules I have to follow, the topic I have to
talk about and most importantly the fact that the judges have reduced our
points for not submitting the text for the speech competition yesterday.
Yesterday? I was only informed about the speech competition yesterday
afternoon. I had a brief panic attack. “I
had lost the competition before it even began,” I thought hopelesly. I lost all
hopes of winning this competition. My teacher then pressed us to make a text
for the competition because we had to submit the text by zuhr. Fikri and I then
proceed to walk to the library. We thought of writing the text in the library,
a silent and peaceful place to clear our heads to let our ideas flow out. But,
when we arrived at the library; we were proved otherwise. The library is filled
with junior high school students going in and out of the library. As it turns
out, the junior high school students are holding an event at the library. The
peaceful library that is usually a place of serenity used for intensive
thinking and deep contemplating is now riddled with childish junior high school
students running around the library as if they own the place. But like it or
not, we have to finish writing this text by zuhr. So, we held our breath as we
enter the library.
by:
Fauzan Dzikri Rabbani
