[Student Profile]
[Prompt & Essay]
Daringly Durian
The doors move aside as I walk through the entrance. Colors blot the metallic shelves, each aisle of the lush space offering a unique experience. Usually, I only try what is familiar. However, my beloved local grocery store is a different case. Here, I do not hold back. As I meander, a large variety of fruits catches my eye. I pick up the fruit with the spikes, the star-shaped one that radiates a sunshiney yellow. As I continue my exploration, I notice a package. Freeze-Dried Durian. I had never tasted durian. The mystery compels me and I pick it up. As soon as I am in my car, I uncover the durian from its bag. This is where the true journey begins. I tear the top off the bag and the smell of molasses and onions permeates my car. I take a
bite, first tasting sweet then garlic. Ever since that day, I have not forgotten the taste. Although the flavor was quite polarizing, I was exposed to a completely new flavor. My risk had paid off, and I was reminded of the value of moving out of my comfort zone.
Regardless of my extroverted nature at a grocery store, “Why are you so quiet?” and “Just talk” are common statements that I have heard in my daily life. When I took part in an internship with a congressional campaign, I was thrown into an environment that required me to communicate with hundreds of people, and I didn't feel ready. As a senior phone bank leader, part of my job was to ensure that my team met our call quotas. In this role, I had to push myself into situations I found much more uncomfortable than trying a Durian for the first time. At the start of my new position, one of the phone bankers I managed missed multiple shifts and only made 10 out of the required 45 calls on the shift he did come to. I tackled the issue at the source and confronted him with the expectations of his position and the value of his work. There, my distaste for confrontation dissipated. I finally learned to be assertive and make my word the last one. That situation was not comfortable for me but I looked past that and became persistent.
Only then was I able to understand the core values and characteristics of being a leader and learn to embody those traits. As my time with the campaign went on, my interactions with phone bankers became increasingly comfortable. I observed problems and could finally confront others without hesitation. When there were opportunities to give suggestions, I did not shy away from expressing what I thought was correct. Ultimately, the grocery store is what brought out this side of me. My love for trying new food items unexpectedly broadened my horizons and taught me to take the risk of experimenting with something new.
In the same way as a grocery store, everyday life is filled with new people to meet and activities to take part in. Each one of those experiences offers a new outlook or perspective and demands an open mindset. Translating my grocery store experiences to the campus environment, I am open to the expansion of my capabilities and knowledge. I hope to push my existing boundaries even further in the clubs and activities I join while also making any environment accepting for others who have always been shy like me. Whether it is in the setting of freshman orientation or activities fairs, I will always be open to the idea of trying new things—even if the result is equivalent to a durian.