02 Feb Sunny Hills High School Student: Finding Confidence & My Future

By Eunice Lee, junior at Sunny Hills High School, originally published in the Fullerton Observer

As a junior at Sunny Hills, I have found that balancing grades, extracurriculars, free time and sleep incredibly difficult to maintain. From dreading to finish the day’s homework to fighting the urge to doze off during an in-class essay, what took me aback above all was that I had started to lose interest in my academics, even my favorite subject, English. I loved reading and writing as a child and because of my avid reading habit had little trouble reaching English benchmarks. I took pride in the athenaeum of books on my shelf.

However, as I started middle school, I slowly cleared out those beloved novels with my growing collection of prep books and study guides. This phenomenon made me both laugh and cry out of confusion. I often asked myself, “What am I doing all of this for?” An obvious answer was that it would help me get into college and with a future career; but which college, what major, and what kind of job? I caught myself asking these questions and grew frustrated at my inability to answer them.

Then it was time to enter high school. As a freshman, I noticed that I started to think about college more than ever before. Terms such as “internship” and “resume” were in the air.  I shoved them to the back of my mind to worry about later. I had always been a shy person, finding it very difficult to speak in front of an audience.  But now I found myself struggling to articulate my thoughts even in a one-on-one conversation. At first I dismissed it, but soon couldn’t help but notice how much anxiety I got from speaking during a class presentation. I hoped it would disappear as I grew up.

I heard about Skillify in my freshman English Honors class and was immediately interested.

Skillify is a program that helps high school students build professional profiles with networking, resume building, interviewing and more. In an attempt to answer the questions I had, I applied. Going to my first Skillify conference was arguably one of the most nerve-wracking experiences I have had.  The many interactive exercises surprised me. At first, I wanted to quit.  I was sooo embarrassed by my lack of professional skills. But I also recognized that these were skills I desperately needed, so soon enough I decided to continue with the program.

Slowly, I started to come out of my shell and see benefits from the program in my school life. I became more engaged, and joined the Speech and Debate Club.  I became more vocal in my classes, and talked, smiled and laughed more. Though it was tough in the beginning, I started to open up and gain confidence. I also started to find answers to the questions I had asked myself about my future.

Fast forward a year to my Level 2 Skillify conference where I saw the improvements I had made as I acted out an impromptu scenario in front of an audience; no breaking down; no tears, no choking, no anxiety! Although high school is still not a walk in the park for me, I now see there is a future beyond drowning in school work. In the year and half I have left, I intend to actively seek out new opportunities to grow, gain skills, and find out even more about myself.