My Toughest Challenge

The hardest challenge I’d ever faced was giving a speech in front of my whole school. I was nervous for days and kept thinking I would forget my words, just like a character named Robert in “School Play” by David Soto.

A month ago, I got a notice from my school saying that they wanted me to say something about my summer vacation. Yes, it was going to be a speech. First, I wrote a long story about where I was and what I did on my summer vacation. It went like this: “During the summer, I went to Thailand. It was so fun! I rode an elephant through the jungle. Then, I helped give the elephant a bath in a small river. I also fed the elephant sugarcane and bananas. It was a little scary at first, but then I felt very happy. I learned that elephants are smart and gentle animals...” At that time, I would practice with my teacher every day after school, slowly familiarizing myself with the lines over and over again.

On the day of the event, my heart was beating so fast that I could barely breathe. When I stood on the stage, my hands were shaking, and I felt like I was losing so much blood sugar that I almost fainted. But then I saw my friends smiling at me in the crowd. I took a deep breath, but my mind still went blank. I couldn’t remember anything. The stage lights were so bright that I could barely keep my eyes open, and it felt like my voice was stuck in my throat, unable to come out. My hands were shaking nonstop, and my feet felt like they were glued to the floor while my knees were jelly-like. In that moment, I wanted to run away. I told myself: just say the first sentence, and everything would be okay. I tried hard to recall the opening lines I had practiced again and again the night before. Finally, with trembling lips, I spoke the first word—my voice was weak but high-pitched and wobbly—but I had finally begun.

After I said the first few words, I started to feel a little better. I told myself to keep going and not be scared. I just focused on saying one sentence at a time. Slowly, I wasn’t that nervous anymore. My friends were smiling, and that helped me feel brave. When I finished my speech, I felt really proud. I learned that if I practice and don’t give up, I can do things even if they are scary at first.

This was my toughest challenge, but I did it.

Emily is a 7th-grade student at Taipei Municipal Long Men Junior High School who has discovered a unique passion for crafting her own short stories. Drawing inspiration from the literary works she reads, she transforms her thoughts and emotions into captivating narratives, continuously exploring the art of storytelling with creativity and enthusiasm.