What I Want to Change About Myself--Writing Samples from the Student Post

On the following webpage you can find five prize-winning essays in the Student Post Challenge.

http://www.chinapost.com.tw/guidepost/topics/default.asp?id=2421&pre=1&sub=1

[ The Student Post Challenge] Monday, November 15, 2010

What I want to change about myself

1st prize winner:

As we grow up, we face a large number of difficulties, such as with academic performance and relationships with friends, because no one is perfect. If I were to name what I most want to change about myself, widening my horizons instantly emerges in my mind. Most people take it for granted that standing upon a giant's shoulder can make us see further than he does, and I think likewise. The following are the methods I am using to change myself.

As is known to virtually everybody, reading a variety of books can not only broaden our views but also cultivate our minds. But what specific actions have I taken to achieve my goal? For one, instead of purchasing books at the bookstore, I go to a library to borrow books, lest I put them on my bookshelf before finishing them. Another thing is I go to museums or attend celebrity lectures on weekends so as to learn knowledge and experience that cannot be found in books. Last but not least, I receive local information as well as international news from the newspaper or magazines every day.

All in all, developing a habit of learning plays a vital role in each and every person's life, and that is exactly what I want to change about myself. An old proverb goes: "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That's why we call it the present." Only when I spare no effort to gain knowledge to go on, and on and on, can I lead a fulfilling and significant life.

2nd prize winner:

I would like to change my personality, and make myself a more positive person. Whenever I am faced with a challenge or difficulty, I usually take a step back and refuse to face it. However, that means I will miss out on lots of opportunities to learn from experiences.

With a more positive and confident personality, I would be more willing to challenge myself by dealing with difficulties such as giving a speech in front of others, performing onstage, and going to study abroad.

To improve my personality requires a lot of effort. By practicing speaking out loud in public and studying English continuously, maybe it is possible that I can change myself and become a person who is able to face challenges without hesitation and achieve my goals.

3rd prize winner:

No one in the world is perfect, so it's natural for everyone to want to be able to change themselves. I do too. I'm a greedy girl. There are too many aspects about myself that I want to change. The following are the things I want to change the most.

First, what I want to change is my near-sightedness. Despite being a 17-year-old teenager, I have already become seriously near-sighted and have to wear a pair of thick glasses all day; otherwise I can't see anything clearly. It's not convenient for me to move around with glasses on my face, and I also don't look pretty in them! The next thing that I want to change is my poor ability in arts. My artistic ability has been very poor since I was little. Every time I had art homework, I would ask my brother for help. His artistic talent is so great that I almost regard him as a god! Whenever I see somebody else's delicate artwork, I always think about how wonderful it would be if I had even half of their talent.

The last thing I want to change about myself the most is my poor math skills. Math is always my weakest point, impacting the outcome of my exams. Though I can understand what the teachers are teaching us in class, I just can't figure out the numbers on tests. I'm so envious of people who always get good grades in math and I'm jealous of their brilliance!

I know it's a daydream for me to become a perfect person. But if I work hard, there might still be some opportunities to change myself!

4th prize winner:

Shortcomings often lead to failure and bad experiences. As a result, it is essential for people to know about their deficiencies and try to mend them. For me, what I want to change about myself the most is my inability to refuse to do what I actually don't want to do.

I usually agree to help others when they ask me for a favor, whether it's appropriate or not. In other words, I'm afraid that if I refuse to help others, I will leave them with a bad impression of me. However, my habit of helping others as much as I can has led me to get into trouble many times. For instance, I'm always busy with lots of my friends' matters, so I have little time to deal with my own things. Furthermore, I have been punished for helping my friends do things that are not so good.

For example, when I was in junior high, a friend of mine asked me to hide another classmate's textbook to make fun of her. I was reluctant to do as she asked, because I knew it was wrong, but I eventually tucked the book into my drawer and covered it with my coat, just as my friend wanted me to do. Although it wasn't fair for our classmate, I still chose to do as my friend asked so that she wouldn't alienate me. However, when our classmate found her book to be missing, she immediately told the teacher and I had no choice but to admit what I had done and return the book. The teacher then scolded me loudly in front of the whole class and punished me by making me mop the floor — I was bristling with anger. It was extremely humiliating for me.

This awful experience helped me learn an important lesson the hard way. I realized that if I don't refuse to do the things that I consider inappropriate, others will think that I'm eager to help, no matter what they ask me to do, and I will be swamped with trouble. In addition, I may end up angering more people instead of pleasing them. In conclusion, I should be adamant about my morals and say no when it is appropriate. I will think twice before promising anything and bravely reject doing what I consider to be wrong. Though it may be difficult to mend this shortcoming at once, I will make every effort to overcome this obstacle and change myself.

5th prize winner:

Holding a mirror in one hand, we see the contoursand features of our face; placing another mirror in our mind, we see the reflection of our personality. Once we come face to face with our true identity, we begin to realize the importance of changing our original personality in order to have a better future. Therefore, to know oneself is a start, and to change leads to a brand new beginning.

I want to change myself into a courageous person. To be truly brave, I shall not merely outwardly show vitality and radiant smiles, but be bold and generous from the bottom of my heart. I have lost the innocence and enthusiasm that I once possessed. How I yearn to retrieve the joyous smiles and boldness from my past! I once held bravery in my palm, but I shied away and let courage slip away from me. To change myself, I have to first fortify my courage.

To start my transformation, my very first step would be to foster the ability to speak in public. I would grasp any possible opportunity to overcome my stage-fright. Secondly, to mitigate my inner fear and anxiety, I will share my troubles with friends and seek advice from my elders. I am convinced that the less fear I have, the braver I shall become. Finally, I will learn to take failure and frustration with ease and calmness. In this way, I shall be brave enough to accept my shortcomings and strive to perfect myself. Hopefully, if I make efforts to strengthen myself, I will be able to see myself as a cheerful and dauntless person in the near future.