A Clear and Clean Eruption 

I have to explode, with lines of sweat gushing out of my face. I tried to hold myself and control my emotions, but then the shying habit kept erupting until I was done speaking.

To be sincere, I was the shy type when I was still in secondary school. My shy habit has been with me since my primary school days. My parents and especially my mom always told me to learn how to get out of my shell, but being a shy girl, I would always ignore it. I had this feeling of always remaining who I am, as I love the shying habit the way it is.

The very first day I got to the secondary school, I met with some students who happened to be females. They were laughing, playing, and asking themselves a series of questions that I was sure I could answer. I felt I should remain mute, as I am the most shy person I have ever been in my life. One of them observed my mood and immediately said to me, “Why have you not said a word ever since we have been here together?”

I was just smiling and feeling shy, as I had nothing to say other than to reply, “I'm just thinking of something. Don't worry yourself; just keep chatting on." They continued, and I felt embarrassed.

All those questions they were asking themselves were so simple, but they were getting them wrong. I was burning within me, but then how can I take care of this situation? This was the only question left in my head.

We all got to our classroom, and our teacher came in. Being the newest among them, I was not asked any questions but was called to introduce myself. It took me a few minutes to stand, but I only did that just for my teacher not see it as a form of embarrassment. I stood up, only mentioned my name, and immediately sat back in my seat.

After a month of staying at the school, we had our first test. I was so brilliant, but I could not stand out enough to speak in public. Each subject teacher would come to the class and write out questions on the board. We all submitted our scripts after 20 minutes.

That day, we did three tests, and within three days, we were through with the tests.

The whole teacher were done marking our scripts, and the first to come to our class was our mathematics teacher. He gave out all their scripts to my friends but held back mine. I told him I hadn't seen mine, but in return, he said I should come out. I was melting within me after hearing him say, “Come out.” How can a shy girl like me stand in front of the class? This was the question I kept asking myself. I felt I should obey and went in front of the class.

“You have done extremely well, and I would want everyone to clap for you," he said.

I was sweating while my face was down. I did not look at the faces of anyone except the floor. The class clapped for me, and I went back to my seat without allowing my teacher to ask me to go to my seat. Although it was just as if he had known my nature and did not say a word instead.

The other teachers came in with our test scripts, and I was so surprised that they all mentioned my name as being the best in their respective subjects.

Mikhail Nilov

In the assembly, we always have debates and impromptu speeches. Monday was always the debate, while Tuesday was always an impromptu speech. So, every Monday, we always have those who are good in those areas, and we're always called on. One fateful day and a day I can call “the hungry day and a day of eruption," I was just standing on the assembly ground on my own before hearing my name called. This was the first of its kind, apart from in the class, that a teacher would ever call me to speak at the assembly. Initially, I thought the teacher on duty must have made mistakes.

The students present were silent after hearing my name being called. I tried to wave my hands just to show the sign of not preparing and not having anything to say, but then the teacher said, “You have to come and say something about the topic.” My head became larger than my thoughts. I stood and looked at the whole crowd and said, “How am I going to face these students?”

I stepped onto the podium and was shaking as well as my voice. The topic was friendly and one that I could elaborate on if it were on paper.

I started talking, but then my voice was unclear to the audience. The teacher had to yell at me to raise my voice for my fellow students to hear me. I raised my voice, but the whole class became quiet as they all wanted to hear me speak and wanted to hear how I was going to get out of the topic with ease. Indeed, I was sure it was not going to be easy, but then I rode on by speaking and giving out some cogent points.

I spoke for fifteen minutes with sweat gushing out of my face, but the teacher refused to ask me to stop. I tried to hold back my emotions, but then the shy mood was not ready to leave. Likewise, I kept speaking, and after some time, I ended by saying, “Thank you.” I left the podium with shame and with my head bowed down without gazing at anyone. Immediately after I got to my line, everyone, including the teachers present, began to clap, and they clapped for over three minutes without stopping. They began to hail me for a job well done. The teacher said, “We have been debating, we have been having impromptu speeches, and we have been going out for competitions, but this one was the first of its kind. It is the first that I have ever experienced since I was in this school.”.

Once again, the whole group of students raised their voices and hands as they clapped. After that day, my shyness became a burden lifted off my shoulders. I was now bold enough to speak in public, as I pulled out my shell to a higher level.