C1-Books and I
Emerson Chen
Amberson? Emverson? I still remembered it took Minnie a long time to spell my name correctly, so first, I’m going to emphasize my name again. Emerson, E-m-e-r-s-o-n. Actually, it’s same as the famous American author and poet; there is even Emerson College in Boston as well. If you want to learn more about Emerson, please just google it. And now you should pay attention to my speech, because I’m the Emerson today.
Maybe affected by the author, Emerson, I love reading since I was little. I love wuxia novel and whodunit the most. Reading novels while listening to the music is really relaxing, especially when you feel depressed or pressured. If time allows, usually, I will not leave until the bookstore is about to close. It is 12 o’clock. And then sing loudly while riding my bike back to the dorm. So next time, if you walk in the campus at midnight and see a strange guy singing poorly while riding his bike, that must be me.
Books not only help me relax but also teach me many things. Last summer, I’ve read a book called, ’Secrets of the Millionaire Mind ’. It had inspired me a lot. It’s mainly about the Millionaires’ attitudes toward life. And I’m here to share the most important thing I’ve learned from it. It’s a little bit long, but I think it’s worth listening.
First, it suggests that you step out of your comfort zone, because the bigger your comfort zone is, the wealthier you will be. That means you always have to try something new, something you are not familiar with. Things we are not familiar with always cause us feel unease, but whenever you feel unease, that’s when you start growing up.
I was really shocked after reading these words, because in the first year of my college life, I just stayed in my comfort zone. I didn’t join any club, I didn’t have part time job. I was not willing to try new things. Suddenly, the alarm in my mind rang.
I realized that I should leave my comfort zone as soon as possible, and be more active if I want to be a millionaire and live a better life in the future.
After then, I’ve become more active and are willing to try new things. For example, as you all know that if you want to invest in the stock market, you have to open an account in the share company. So I just opened my very first account right after my 20th birthday, since I want to be a millionaire as you all know. I really made up my mind to step into the share company. Imagine the picture of a young man wearing his T-shirt and jeans walks into the big office. People inside all wear suit or formal attire and look serious. Quite odd, isn’t it? I felt the overwhelming pressure and could tell some of them were looking at me and thinking, ‘What on earth is this kid doing here?’ I was really nervous and could hear my heart beat as loud as thunder. I even went to the bathroom twice before I started the conversation with a staff member. But finally, I did it. And I felt I had grown up a lot, not the little child any more.
The other example is that I joined the NTU toastmaster this semester, and I’m even delivering my C1 speech now. It is really a big challenge for me because I’m a shy person. However, it turns out that delivering a speech isn’t as horrible as I thought before. To be honest, it’s fun and I’ve learned a lot.
So next time, when you are facing something new or something you aren’t familiar with, don’t hesitate. Just give it a try and always remember that whenever you feel unease, that’s when you start growing up.
TME
—————- Judges Comment by Jessica Chen —————-
台大國際英語演講會 