My Boo Radley

In the story, once Scout learns Boo Radley is a (somewhat) normal person, all the fear she once had for him disappeared. In my life, I still find my "Boo Radley" rather frightening, though not as frightening as it once was. My Boo Radley is public speaking. And not just public speaking. Performing. Being in front of people. It still scares me, though not as badly as it once did.

It used to be that just thinking of going up in front of people would cause me to vomit. In school if I had a presentation to give, I would go to the bathroom and stall until class was over. Or, If I had to talk to the class the next day, I would pretend to be sick. But it actually wasn't very hard to pretend. The fear of being in front of people always gave me flu like symptoms. But, eventually, there were ways I could overcome this fear.

One person who really helped was my dad. He, having the same anxiety issues that I have, understood what I was going through. He taught me a simple trick that he called "looking for tigers". He explained that my fear was irrational, that there was no way that speaking in front of crowd could ever possibly hurt me. He said that the only reason I should ever feel fear is if there is any actual danger, like a tiger in the room, and if there isn't any, then I should have nothing to worry about. I realize now that this was my dad's way of teaching me to put things in perspective. This lesson actually helped me a lot to make my fear less frightening.

Another person who helped was my sixth grade science teacher. At the end of the first semester we were required to give a presentation on marine animals. I was scared so I asked her to help me. She gave me tips how to remain calm in front of a group. She said that the most important thing I could learn was to have confidence in myself. If I knew the material and practiced giving my speech then I didn't have anything to worry about. That year I gave one of my best presentations ever and received 100% on the project.

I know that I will always have to deal with my "Boo Radley" and learn to accept it. But, I am very proud to say that over the years, I have gained much more control over it than it once had over me.

Intro

All right, new blog! Lets get down to business.
As a student I am hardworking and a little intense. I am very driven to do well in school and get A's, but sometimes I try a little too hard and become overwhelmed. I love reading and writing, which is why I decided to take honors english in the first place. People say that I have a rather dark macabre style which I like to incorporate in my writing. Some of my favorite authors are Edgar Allen Poe and Lewis Carroll.
This year I would like to express myself more through my writing. I don't have much experience with revealing things about myself, because of my annoying shyness, but I would like to learn to overcome that. I believe I have some good ideas that others would enjoy If I just developed the ability to share them. That is one of my goals for this year.
Not only is english one of my favorite subjects, it is also one of the most important classes I will take throughtout my school career. Reading and writing are essentially forms of communication. Communication is what makes us humans unique from all other creatures. It has ingrained itself so deeply into our culture that it is impossible for society to exist without it, which is why it is so important that we be good at it.
Writing is also an art form unlike any other. Good writing can make you laugh or cry or transport you to a completely different place or time. And it, like any art, can reveal the true potential of the imagination. It is an amazing skill that humans have developed, one that should be taught to each new generation and deeply treasured.