It’s the last post for my civic issue blog!

I’m hoping that you all have been learning something out of my Civic Issue blog as much as I have, when I was researching on the issue.

As I sit down to write what may be my last post on this passion blog dedicated to Malaysia, I am filled with a sense of nostalgia and appreciation for the diverse culture, history, and beauty of this nation. From its rich traditions to its vibrant cuisine, from its diverse landscapes to its warm hospitality, Malaysia is truly a unique and remarkable country. As I reflect on my journey of exploring and celebrating Malaysia, I am compelled to share some final thoughts on this captivating nation in a more all-encompassing sense.

Malaysia is a country that is often overlooked by Americans when it comes to travel destinations, but it is a true gem that deserves attention and appreciation. It is a melting pot of cultures, with Malay, Chinese, Indian, and indigenous influences interwoven into its fabric. The result is a unique blend of traditions, languages, and culinary delights that create a tapestry of diversity and vibrancy.

One of the highlights of Malaysia is its food scene. From savory satay to aromatic nasi lemak, from mouthwatering roti canai to flavorful laksa, Malaysia’s cuisine is a melting pot of flavors that will tantalize your taste buds. Food is not just sustenance in Malaysia, but a way of life, a reflection of its diverse cultural heritage, and a source of national pride.

Malaysia is also home to stunning natural wonders. The majestic Mount Kinabalu in Borneo, with its lush montane forests and unique biodiversity, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a haven for nature enthusiasts. The mesmerizing Cameron Highlands, with its tea plantations and cool climate, is a popular retreat for those seeking respite from the tropical heat. The idyllic beaches of Langkawi and Penang offer white sands, turquoise waters, and breathtaking sunsets, perfect for a tropical getaway.

But Malaysia is not just about its natural beauty and delicious cuisine. It is a country with a rich history and cultural heritage that is evident in its architecture, arts, and festivals. The iconic Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, with their modern design and Islamic influences, are a symbol of Malaysia’s progress and innovation. The ancient temples and mosques of Malacca and Penang showcase Malaysia’s religious diversity and tolerance. The vibrant festivals, such as Diwali, Eid, and Chinese New Year, highlight Malaysia’s multicultural celebrations and sense of community.

However, Malaysia, like any other country, is not without its challenges. Issues such as deforestation, environmental degradation, and human rights concerns require attention and action. It is important for us to be aware of these challenges and support efforts towards sustainable and responsible tourism, conservation of natural resources, and promotion of social justice and equality.

As I conclude this final post on my passion blog dedicated to Malaysia for my American audience, I want to express my deepest gratitude to all of you who have followed me on this journey of uncovering the hidden gems of Malaysia. I encourage you to consider Malaysia as a travel destination, to immerse yourself in its diverse culture, to indulge in its culinary delights, and to appreciate its natural beauty. Malaysia is a country that will captivate your heart and leave you with lasting memories.

Terima kasih, Malaysia!  (Thank you, Malaysia!)

Bella<3

Dear all,

As I sit down to write what may be my last post on this civic issue blog, I am filled with a mix of emotions. From anger to frustration, from sadness to hope, discrimination has been a topic that has ignited passion within me and countless others. As I reflect on the journey we have taken together, I am compelled to share some final thoughts on this complex and pervasive issue.

Discrimination, in all its forms, is a stain on our society. It is a cancer that eats away at the fabric of our communities, perpetuating inequality, divisiveness, and injustice. It takes many shapes – racial discrimination, gender discrimination, discrimination based on sexual orientation, religion, disability, and more. It can happen in our schools, our workplaces, our neighborhoods, and our institutions. It can be subtle or overt, blatant or hidden. But regardless of its form, discrimination is unacceptable and must not be tolerated.

It is disheartening to see how discrimination continues to affect individuals and communities around the world. It tears apart families, limits opportunities, and destroys lives. It is a barrier to progress and a roadblock to equality. It is time for us to confront this issue head-on and work towards a more inclusive and just society.

In order to combat discrimination, we must first acknowledge its existence and the ways in which it manifests in our society. We must educate ourselves and others, engage in difficult conversations, and challenge our own biases and prejudices. We must listen to the voices of those who have been marginalized and silenced, and amplify their stories and experiences. We must hold individuals and institutions accountable for their discriminatory actions, and demand policy changes that promote equality and equity.

But our efforts cannot stop there. We must also address the root causes of discrimination, such as systemic racism, sexism, homophobia, and other forms of bigotry. We must work towards creating a society that is inclusive, diverse, and welcoming to all, regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or any other characteristic. We must advocate for policies and practices that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in all areas of life, including education, employment, housing, healthcare, and the criminal justice system.

Furthermore, we must recognize that discrimination is not just an individual problem, but a societal one. It is embedded in our institutions, our systems, and our culture. Therefore, we need systemic solutions that address the root causes of discrimination and promote structural change. This includes reforming laws and policies, improving access to resources and opportunities, and challenging discriminatory practices at all levels of society.

As I conclude this last post on my blog, I want to express my deepest gratitude to all of you who have supported and engaged with me on this important issue. I urge you to continue the fight against discrimination in your own communities, to be vigilant in calling out discrimination wherever you see it, and to use your voices and actions to create positive change.

Together, we can make a difference. Let us continue to work towards a more inclusive, equitable, and just society, where discrimination has no place. Thank you for being part of this journey.

In solidarity,

Bella <3

For the advocacy project, I wanted to advocate for more cross-cultural activities to be done in PennState. The difference between my advocacy project and persuasive essay is my target audience. I think my target audience for this is students organizations in PennState.

I am still not 100% sure on every details but my idea is to advocate for all clubs in PennState to include diversity in their clubs.

Potential strategies:

1. Study the diversity and cross-cultural events that are currently taking place within Penn State clubs. This might entail conducting surveys of clubs and organizations to learn how much diversity and cross-cultural programming are presently incorporated. I was thinking that this research could provide evidence and data to support my advocacy project.
2. Develop a persuasive campaign to raise awareness about the benefits of cross-cultural activities and diversity in clubs. This might entail making flyers, posters, or social media posts that emphasize the value of inclusivity, variety, and understanding across cultures in the Penn State community. To communicate the message and inspire others to support my cause, I would use powerful words and images in the visuals.
3. I would also collaborate or join forces with Penn State groups and societies that are already committed to diversity and inclusion. By collaborating with these organizations, I can strengthen the impact of my message and take advantage of their networks and resources to push for more intercultural events in other clubs. This can also assist in forming an alliance of like-minded people and organizations that can work together to promote change.
4. I could also engage in a direct advocacy with the university administration, teachers, and club leaders. This might entail arranging talks with club advisors and university representatives to talk about the value of multiculturalism and diversity, and to implore them to include these topics in their clubs’ programming. Strong argument for this topic can also be made by presenting the study, any relevant personal anecdotes, and sharing the findings.
5. Last but not least, creating workshops or activities that encourage inclusivity and understanding across cultures. This might entail holding panel discussions on diverse and inclusive subjects, diversity workshops, or cultural fairs. These events can create opportunities for dialogue, education, and engagement around the importance of cross-cultural activities in clubs and provide a platform for advocating for change.

In terms of target audience, it is obvious that the advocacy are targeted to student organizations in PennState. However, it could also include faculty members who are passionate about social justice issues, and administrators who are responsible for making decisions about resource allocation and program development.

Some of the values and motivations include fostering a sense of community and belonging among students, fostering an inviting and inclusive school environment, and preparing students for a diverse world. There might also be a desire for fairness and equality, a belief in the value of education and learning, and a sense of responsibility to create positive change in the world.

Random Acts of Flowers

sounds familiar? >.<

The idea of random acts of kindness has been around for some time now, and it has become a movement of sorts. The Random Acts of Flowers organization, in particular, is elevating this concept to a whole new level.

The Random Acts of Flowers organization is a nonprofit group that delivers recycled flowers to people in healthcare facilities, such as hospitals and nursing homes. Delivering happiness, hope, and small acts of kindness is central to their goal of promoting mental health and well-being. They accomplish this by gathering donated flowers from a variety of sources, reassembling them into lovely bouquets, and then sending them to patients in healthcare centers.

I found this organization to be particularly intriguing because it demonstrates the power of a simple act that anyone can do, yet often overlooked. In our busy lives, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that even the smallest things around us can bring us joy and happiness.

One notable argument made on the Random Acts of Flowers website is the positive impact of flowers on emotional health. They contend that getting flowers improves contentment and reduces tension, which has a positive impact on one’s emotional and mental well-being. They offer empirical evidence to back up their claim, as well as endorsements from people who have received their floral deliveries. Since it is founded on reliable sources and scientific data, this case is backed by logical arguments.

The website also makes the case that their recycling initiative is good for the earth. In order to create stunning bouquets, the group gathers donated flowers that would otherwise go to trash. They contend that doing so saves resources and benefits the ecosystem. It makes sense that recycling flowers would help the ecosystem, so rational arguments are also used to back this claim.

After going through all the info from the website, one issue I found with the Random Acts of Flowers organization’s logic is that it strongly depends on anecdotal proof. Although the reviews left by customers who received floral deliveries are persuasive, they do not always provide a thorough assessment of the program’s efficacy. If the group could back up its claims with empirical evidence, it would sound more credible.

Another thing that could be pointed out is the fear of unintended consequences occurring due to the work done by the organization. If the flowers are not thoroughly sanitized before being dispersed, the organization’s floral recycling program might unintentionally aid in the spread of disease. Considering that most of the flowers go towards the patients in the healthcare center, this is quite concerning if it happens. This would unintentionally affect the healthcare centers they’re supporting by increasing the workload for employees and distracting the patients.

All in all, I find this organization to be incredibly wholesome, and I am committed to supporting its cause as long as its activities continue to be carried out with the proper work ethic.

Go check them out: https://randomactsofflowers.org/ 

Universities should take proactive steps to address discrimination towards international students, by providing cultural sensitivity training for all.

That is my thesis statement. My original thesis statement was ‘Universities should take proactive steps to address discrimination towards international students, such as providing cultural sensitivity training for faculty and implementing policies to investigate and address incidents of discrimination’ but because I think I should take just one specific action, I thought ‘providing cultural sensitivity training for all’ is the better than the one. I actually had a hard time to choose between these two as I feel like these two should be done together, so if you guys have more idea and could give me suggestions, I would really appreciate it!

Question of value: Discrimination against international students, particularly Asian students, is morally unacceptable and should be actively combated. This was my question of value, but because it is too broad, I think I will go with the policy-passive agreement. 

For my persuasive essay, I wanted to focus on something that feel personal and I feel strongly about, which is the discrimination towards international students. Being in the US especially, I think the topic of discrimination is something that are commonly talked about especially when it come towards racism. However, observing how things have been, I feel like, Asian students specifically, are discriminated more by local students and this is kind of upsetting. I would say that the lecturers or the faculty are actually great in communicating with international students, but the local students are kind of  (I don’t really know what the exact word to put here but something like, not that good) in acting towards international students. I, myself, have experienced some incidents where I was treated differently by other students, just because I’m not the same as them.

Books from PSU library
I was thinking about using two books from the PSU library to support my essay:

The first one is a book titled ‘Whiter : Asian American women on skin color and colorism’ by Nikki Khanna and it is published in 2020. This book is quite recent and it talks about colorism among Asians and why this happen. I feel like the info is quite necessary and useful for my essay as it shows how you can be discrimination just by not being ‘white’.

The second book I found is a book titled ‘International encounters : higher education and the international student experience’ by CindyAnn Rose-Redwood and Reuben Rose-Redwood, a married couple of professors from University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada. This book is also recent, as it was published in 2019. This book shared many experiences and true stories from international students all over the world. I feel like this is very helpful for my essay as I also wanted to talk about how the discrimination towards international students does not only happen in the US, but also all across the world.

Specific Research Questions

Please give me feedbacks on these and which of these do you think I should focus on more ^.^

1. Does Asian international students get discriminated more than other international students?
2. Why does international students get discriminated? Can I provide some proofs?
3. Who’s at fault actually? The student choose to be in a new country which means they have to adapt to the new environment, but then at the same time, they feel discriminated when locals are treating them differently.
4. Does this means it’s better for everyone to just study locally?
5. Are universities the only policy-makers to take action on this issue?

Interesting link I found that might be used in the essay:

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/linguistic-racism-can-take-high-toll-international-students

The education system is a critical aspect of a country’s development and progress. Every country has its own education system, which reflects its cultural and societal values. Malaysia and the United States have vastly different education systems with unique features and strengths. In today’s blog post, I am inspired to talk about the differences between the education system in Malaysia and the United States. As I was participating in our deliberation, I realized how different the education systems between these two countries are, and I would like to share more on this topic with you guys.

Firstly, the education system in Malaysia is centralized, with the Ministry of Education controlling the curriculum and policies for all schools, including public and private institutions. The curriculum is standardized, and students are required to study a core set of subjects, including Malay language, English, mathematics, science, and social studies. In contrast, the United States has a decentralized education system, with the federal government providing guidelines but allowing states and local communities to design and implement their own curriculum and policies. This results in a diverse range of educational programs and a wide range of teaching standards across the country.

Secondly, the education system in Malaysia is exam-oriented, with a strong emphasis on academic performance and grades. Students are required to sit for national exams at the end of primary and secondary school, which determine their eligibility for further education and future job opportunities. In contrast, the United States has a more holistic approach to education, focusing on developing students’ critical thinking, creativity, and social skills rather than just academic performance. Standardized testing is still an essential part of the American education system, but it is not the sole measure of success.

Thirdly, the education system in Malaysia is more hierarchical, with a clear separation between teachers and students. Teachers are viewed as authority figures, and students are expected to respect and obey them. In contrast, the United States has a more collaborative approach, with teachers and students working together as partners in the learning process. Teachers are encouraged to be more creative in their teaching methods, using group work, hands-on activities, and technology to engage students.

Fourthly, the education system in Malaysia is more uniform, with less flexibility for students to pursue their interests and passions. Students are required to follow a set curriculum, and there is limited opportunity for elective courses or specialization. In contrast, the United States has a more flexible education system, allowing students to choose from various courses and programs, including vocational and technical training, community college, and university degrees.

In conclusion, the education system in Malaysia and the United States has unique features and strengths, reflecting their cultural and societal values. Malaysia’s centralized and exam-oriented system emphasizes academic performance and standardization, while the United States’ decentralized and collaborative approach focuses on creativity and flexibility. Both systems have their advantages and disadvantages and learning more about how different countries and regions manage their education system is really helpful in improving your own too. I believe that by understanding the differences between education systems, we can work towards creating a more equitable and inclusive educational environment for all students.

As I was scrolling through the Internet searching for ideas for my next civic issue post, I came across different type of articles on discrimination and thought, “Wow, there are honestly so much discrimination and prejudice in this world, and sometimes we might not even realize or acknowledge it as much.” We all know that one of the most pressing civic issues in today’s society is discrimination, which remains a persistent problem that affects millions of people worldwide. Discrimination takes many forms, including racism, sexism, ageism, ableism, and LGBTQ+ discrimination. It can have severe consequences for those who experience it, including mental and physical health problems, social exclusion, and economic disadvantage. There are a few types of discrimination that I want to touch on (just a bit) today because I found them interesting and worrying.

I found an interesting example of discrimination, which is the gender pay gap where women are paid less than men for the same work. I found this interesting because I had never really heard about it before. It is common to hear about women not being respected or given equality in terms of their treatment in the workplace. However, this is not common(for me, at least). Despite the significant progress made in the last century, women still earn only 82 cents for every dollar earned by men, with even greater disparities for women of color. The gender pay gap is a clear example of discrimination, as it is based on a person’s gender rather than their abilities or qualifications.

Another example of discrimination is racial profiling, where people are targeted by law enforcement based on their race or ethnicity. Racial profiling is a significant issue in the United States, where Black and Latino people are disproportionately stopped, searched, and arrested by police officers. The consequences of racial profiling can be severe, including wrongful arrests, harassment, and violence. In my opinion, racial discrimination is commonly talked about, especially when it comes to ‘Black Lives Matter’ and ‘Stop Asian Hate.’ However, I feel like maybe we should sometimes focus on other races too, such as Hispanics, etc., because when we are too focused on certain aspects, we might forget the others and cause some issues in the future.

A third example of discrimination is ableism, where people with disabilities face discrimination in education, employment, and other areas of life. Ableism can take many forms, including inaccessible buildings, lack of accommodations, and negative stereotypes. The consequences of ableism can be significant, including lower rates of employment, lower wages, and limited opportunities for education and social participation. I feel like ableism is one of the rarest discrimination we discussed as a society and should be addressed more to the public.

It is essential to address discrimination in all forms to create a more just and equitable society. There are many ways to do this, including implementing policies that promote equality, educating people about the harmful effects of discrimination, and creating safe spaces for marginalized communities. By working together, we can build a more inclusive and diverse society where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.

Sources:

1. National Women’s Law Center. (2021). The gender wage gap: 2020. Retrieved from https://nwlc.org/resources/the-gender-wage-gap-2020/
2. American Civil Liberties Union. (2021). Racial profiling. Retrieved from https://www.aclu.org/issues/racial-justice/racial-profiling
3. National Council on Disability. (2017). National disability policy: A progress report. Retrieved from https://ncd.gov/publications/2017/national-disability-policy-progress-report

As you all might already know by now, I am a big BTS fan.

Although you might think that growing up as an Asian child in an Asian country, the lack of representation of Asian in the music industry would not have affected me, well, I think you are wrong. The reason why I said that is because I just realized how hard it was for me to see or heard of famous songs on radio that are sang by Asians people. It was always, One Direction, Justin Bieber, Shawn Mendes, etc…

When I first start stanning BTS in 2015, I always thought that they’re cool and they’re going to be famous in Korea. Funny enough, I never would’ve thought that they were actually going to be famous worldwide because it sounds so ridiculous at the time because there’s just never been many Asians that were popular worldwide.

In 2017, BTS made a history over their win at the Billboard Music Awards for the Top Social Artist award, beating out Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande, and Shawn Mendes. They become the first K-pop crew ever to win a Billboard Award; and this shocked the world, especially Americans.

“Who are these asians and why does it seem like the entire audience knows who they are”

“bts who? asian one direction??”

“not trying to be racist but you don’t see any American singer or band participating in a Korean award show so, like, BTS please just go back to Korea”

well, I’m really not sorry to say this, but you ARE racist.

BTS win really opened my eyes to see 2 things:

1. Most Americans always forget that they are an entire world outside of America and only focus on themselves.
2. People aren’t used to seeing talented Asians succeed in the music industry and this is why they made racist remarks about BTS.

But you know what my question is?

It’s, are Americans really the victim in this case as there were lack of Asian representation in the industry and because of that, they could say all those racist remarks?  I guess that’s something you could ask yourself.

Now, moving on to the Scammys ( my bad, Grammys).

One thing that I really really hate about this award show is how they ALWAYS use BTS for views.

BTS has a really LARGE fanbase to the point where they would have more views than the Scammys, if they were streaming in another platform at the same time (newsbreak: they did)

If I start talking about how much BTS are snubbed by this Scammy, I don’t think it’ll be less than 1000 words.

But, one incident I could share that truly rages me and other Armys is in the 2021 Grammy Award where the Scammy was so so desperate to get views from the fans by putting out such pathetic move: they keep on showing “Coming up next: BTS!” in the four-hour- long program, only to lied to the audiences by making them performed last. Additionally, BTS’s nomination category wasn’t even included in the live broadcast but was instead featured in the pre-show that was aired online, which all but guaranteed that fans would be glued to their screens for several hours in anticipation of the big onscreen moment. ‘The move was denounced by ARMY as a slick way of juicing the Grammys’ viewership numbers—precisely the ones that have been plummeting for years,’ yes, I agree.

One quote I really like from the second article I read is,

The Grammys considers itself to be a prestigious industry awards ceremony, but with so many blindspots, is it actually a barometer of greatness?

I for one, disagree with with that; but what do you think?

Articles I read:

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/tanyachen/bts-win-and-asian-representation

https://www.elle.com/culture/music/a39616489/bts-grammy-awards-snub/

If you’ve never heard of Twitter, then you must be someone living under the rock.

Twitter is a social networking and news website where users exchange brief messages known as tweets. Tweeting is the practice of sending quick messages to your Twitter followers in the hopes that they would find them informative and entertaining. Microblogging is another term that might be used to describe Twitter and tweeting.

For today’s RCL post, I’m going to be talking about the  use of deliberation among people on social media, specifically Twitter.

https://twitter.com/tobishiyanbola/status/1621229284583956481?s=46&t=iIQxU0LbgPF1s2eg9kWOZg 

A user on Twitter with the username, @tobishiyanbola posted a tweet on the 2nd February of 2023 saying that,

Lately, I’ve noticed everybody looks OK until you eventually have a deep conversation with them. And then, you’ll realize that, this is a sad generation of people struggling to survive through smiling faces and pretty pictures.

This tweet became a hit tweet and gained more than 6.5M views from people across the globe. In the replies, many comments agreed with the statement, and some even shared their personal stories or experiences relating to it. There is quite a lot of exhibit that shows deliberation in the replies.

In the replies, people said they understood what was being said and gave encouraging words to motivate each other.

From the comment thread up here, we can see someone expressing their thoughts, and the other person was giving words of encouragement to them. We can see how the first person was describing his negative thought on life, and the other person was giving his positive thought on how life is and how to feel happy again. The first person insisted that there’s nothing in life that would actually make them happy again, and the other person was giving his best advice, which was to seek a therapist and try to find happiness in their life again. I believe there’s some deliberative approach here because although they both might have a different viewpoint on this issue, they both seem to be open to expanding their mindset and listening to what the others got to say.

Here’s another exhibit of deliberation being used in the conversation among online users:

I believe that this conversation contains deliberative aspects as these two were discussing and sharing stories on how accurate the statement from the original tweet is and how it can actually be seen in real life. The things discussed were very meaningful, and they were also very respectful and appreciative of the other person’s thoughts.

If you scroll down through all the other comments, you will see people expressing themselves and how they could relate to this tweet. The discussion about the original tweet made people deliberate in the replies as much as possible. It also helps the other online readers think more about the statement and reflect on themselves.

Being quiet does not mean you are weak.

This is something I have always believed in, and I still believe in it to this day. My experiences in life have shown me the truth in this belief I hold, and I am proud to share it with others.

As a kid, I have always hated school. I remember my mum had to go to work late every day because she had to drag me to kindergarten. I would cry every day and came up with every excuse I could to avoid school. As I got into middle school, my hatred towards school did not just disappear, but I somehow managed to tolerate it much better. In middle school, I grew up to be someone who was quiet but would excel in every subject in class. Don’t get me wrong. Still, I wouldn’t say I like school, but I always like to get things done quickly and perfectly because I would feel so shy if the teachers said anything or complained about my work. I became the school prefect for 4 years during middle school because I excelled academically and seemed very disciplined (according to the teachers). During my senior year, I was rewarded with the Best Student Award and the Best Student Character Award for my overall achievement.

One thing that fascinates me about all these achievements I used to get in middle school is that I have always been a quiet kid. Have you ever heard of the ‘Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)’ personality test? Well, my MBTI is INFP-T, which basically means that I’m an introvert. As an introvert, it does not mean that I didn’t join any club or any activities; it’s just that I have never been a fan of public speaking or even having to talk to a group larger than 2 people.

Moving towards my high school year, my hatred towards school still did not fade away. During my high school year, I was sent to a boarding school. I was so homesick. I would call my parents at least 5 times a day using the public phone(because we weren’t allowed to bring a phone to school) and cry my eyes out every single time because I did not want to be there. However, my parents always tried to convince me and made me stay at school.

As I got into my second year in the school, I felt like, ‘Screw this. I will try to enjoy my 4 years left here by doing my best, just like how I used to be in middle school.’ So I did. I tried my best academically, but high school was tough. It was tougher than middle school, and I did not manage to be among the top students in my batch. Still, I was not among the lowest in my batch, so I tried to apply for the school prefect position in my second year. In my high school, being a prefect gives you a good point for your resume, which means you’re among the top students in the school.

Guess what? I got rejected. The school rejected me because they said I was not smart enough and did not seem capable enough to lead others because I was a quiet kid. I was devastated. A little because they said I was not smart enough, but more because they said I could not lead others because I’m a quiet kid.

So, I made a promise to the school. I promised them that if I became one of the top students in my batch on the final exam, they would elect me to be a prefect.

And I did. I managed to be among the top students in my batch and even became the school representative in several competitions, and I won those competitions. I met the teachers who had rejected my application before and proudly showed them all my achievements. At that point, they had no other choice but to elect me because I had proved them wrong.

My achievements did not stop there. Until my senior year, I kept achieving many things and representing the school in many competitions. But truthfully, there’s one thing that never really change. I am still a shy and quiet kid. I only talk when I need to, never just for fun.

People frequently judge others very quickly and with little information. As my story goes, the school judged me because they saw me as a quiet person and thought I could not achieve that. Indeed they were wrong.

Just know that you’re not weak if you’re quiet and kind. These individuals exhibit a powerful, controlled inner strength that involves being aware of when to talk, when to listen, when to act and when to wait. We shouldn’t undervalue such individuals. They have the greatest strength, and they traverse the planet!