Hello everyone! What a joy it is to stand here as the first speaker from Group B. My topic today? Dare to be the person you’ve always wanted to be.
I bet some of you are thinking, “Really? Another one of those overdone topics.” But let me ask you this: Take a quick trip down memory lane to when you were picking undergrad courses. When your finger hovered over that “Sign Up” button for “Public Speaking and Debate”,what waves of emotion washed over you?
As an engineering student, let me tell you—I was terrified and torn to pieces when I clicked “Cross-Major.” Especially after that first class, where I was completely wowed by all the confident, charismatic peers around me. “Should I drop it?” It was like a broken record playing on loop in my head the entire week.
Then I Googled it, and here’s what popped up: “60 minutes of public speaking practice a week helps you speak with ease.""Such words planted a seed in my heart.the question “What kind of person do you want to become?” kept echoing louder and louder in my mind.I can see a shining version of myself who's unafraid of the stage, expresses her views fluently and persuasively—and it's this belief in wanting to become that person that drives me to keep going . Steve Jobs dared to start Apple in a garage with only $250 in his pocket—so why should I feel inferior in an ordinary class? After all,we’re all just striving to become better versions of ourselves. Looking back now, I’m so thankful I mustered up the courage to hit that button—at least I didn’t throw in the towel before I even started. At least I’ve been chipping away at every speech, little by little. At least I’m still inching closer to that bright, shining version of myself I always dream of.
Maybe 60 plus 60 minutes of weekly practice isn’t enough to make me the smooth talker I want to be. But hey—who cares? I had the guts to take the first step, and that’s more than enough to let me embrace every new, improved side of myself with pride. Just as the Chinese game Black Myth: Wukong puts it: “Embarking on the journey to the West is more important than reaching Lingshan. Much like the pilgrimage to the West, the most crucial thing is to take that first step.”
To become the person we’ve always dreamed of being, let’s dare to transform boldly and pursue the self we’ve long desired.You don’t need to be great to start, but you need to start to be great. Trust me—after summoning your courage, you’ll realize that the fears in your heart are nothing more than trivial obstacles.
