My mouth refused to open. My legs quaked beneath me. My eyes darted around the audience. A sudden stillness enveloped me. Everything seemed peaceful, except for the uneven pounding in my chest, which pulsated in my ears. The pressure was unbearable. Closing my eyes, I inhaled deeply and tried to calm my escalating fear. Still, my lips would not budge. My face felt red-hot even as cold sweat soaked every inch of my body. I …showed first 75 words of 514 total…

…showed last 75 words of 514 total…cause me to reevaluate my beliefs and ambitions. Will I sink or will I swim? Whenever I reflect on this question, I remember standing on my elementary school's stage, choking back hot tears, and trying to say my lines. Then, I picture myself now, speaking freely in front of peers and adults, delivering my opinions with gusto, free from fear and determined to have my voice heard. I'm going to swim, no doubt about it.