Since I was little, I’ve always envied people who are easily able to talk and express themselves to others. Expressing myself and sharing my personal experiences to people has always been hard for me, and I know it’s going to take a really long time for me to open up. My goal every year is to extend my social circle and try new things outside of my comfort zone. But to be completely honest, I’m scared. I tend to care so much about what others think about me, instead of focusing on myself and what I want to do. I’ve realized throughout my life that I’m such a people pleaser. Any tiny mistake I make in front of a group of people can completely ruin my day. I will remember that moment and repeat it in my head. I know that my social anxiety will take a long time to “heal” or maybe even never, but I’m slowly trying to improve my goals of talking to more people and not caring what anyone thinks of me. In the beginning, I joined BUDS because my friend asked me for help. Despite this, I learned so many things regarding my communication and interpersonal skills while having opportunities to talk to new individuals. 

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- Sam Wong