Socializing was never my favorite activity to partake in. I was always quiet and reserved, mostly keeping to myself to prevent any awkward or unwanted situations. Eventually, I had to talk to other kids when we were put into groups of four for group projects at school, which was not easy for me to adapt to. Although it was difficult for me, I did eventually adapt to being put into a group with people I never associated myself with much less complete a project with them.
Using social skills takes time to grow and strengthen. For me it took a while, but eventually in high school being social became a problem instead of being a skill that needed improvement. Then I had to balance out my social skills and my learning skills in the classroom. Being social has its perks, like getting privileges that only certain people get, like being a speaker for a special program, but it can also get you into trouble when you do not know when to be quiet.
Getting to the point where talking gets you in trouble is when you know that you have overcome your social awkwardness and not be afraid to express yourself through your actions and your words. As one of my favorite writers, John Jakes once said, “Be yourself. Above all, let who you are, what you are, what you believe shine through every sentence you write, every piece you finish.”
