Reflective Essay: Hey, I Heard You Speak Chinese

A simple sentence sparks not only conversations, but also friendship. For me, that sentence was, "Hey, I heard you speak Chinese." This meager attempt to start a conversation sparked an enduring friendship with Brock, a co-worker at the grocery store where I worked part-time. Our friendship helped me overcome debilitating anxiety that made most social interactions stressful as opposed to enjoyable. My anxiety stemmed from nearly all social interactions. A judgmental look from a cashier could ruin a good day. Calling to place a carry-out order presented another social barrier as I struggled to speak with confidence. I even experienced occasional panic attacks around close friends. I suddenly became withdrawn and found myself contemplating in silence on beautiful Saturdays alone in my room. Things began to change after I took the initiative to approach Brock in an attempt to practice my Chinese language skills. Brock was impressed with my desire to learn a foreign language and immediately wanted to converse exclusively in Chinese. My fear of judgment made it difficult to take advantage of this opportunity to practice my language skills with a fluent speaker. Overcoming this fear, I realized, was harder than I had originally anticipated. Brock was surprisingly persistent in his efforts to help me practice, but soon became frustrated with

These efforts to overcome anxiety helped me to develop a much more productive mindset from which I will continue to benefit for years to come. As an incoming college freshman, I expect to encounter challenges that will test my newfound confidence. I will likely make many more mistakes, but I no longer suffer the excruciating need to be correct. In fact, I now welcome opportunities that will challenge and encourage me to learn and grow as a well-rounded individual. Mistakes are inevitable along this journey, but I have come to realize that gain in knowledge and experience at the cost of initial failure is