From my very first memories, I have also been shy. In school, getting called on in class and having to participate was very nerve-wracking for me. I grew up with the kids from my elementary school, so making friends wasn’t affected by my shyness. I barely spoke to anyone that weren’t my friends, though. Yet, in middle school, I moved schools and went to a small school where I had thirty kids in my grade, and they have been together since kindergarten. When I was first told that I was moving schools, it was like my entire world crumbled. I was so nervous at the fact that I had to make new friends and had to present myself in front of everyone. Luckily, I wasn’t the only new kid that year; ten other kids joined me to start sixth grade at a new school. That calmed my nerves a lot; I wasn’t the only one who had to make new friends or be the “new kid”.
 I ended up being totally fine, meeting girls that ended up being my best friends to this day. While I ended up becoming very close to my friends, in every other setting where I wasn’t with them, I wasn’t truly comfortable showing my full self. I tended to keep to myself and blend into the background; I was very quiet. This caused me to lose opportunities that may have arisen for those who were more extroverted and comfortable being themselves to people they just met. Acting in a school play or running for student leadership council wasn’t an option for me because I was so scared of showing my personality to those who weren’t in my immediate circle. I didn’t take opportunities unless my friends were involved in them too, I just felt more comfortable with them there.Â
Covid came around my final year of middle school and the beginning of my freshman year. Starting high school online was like a reset button for me; I had to put myself out there. I had to come out of my shell that had sheltered me for so many years. My high school was right next to my middle school, so all my friends came and joined me. Throughout high school, I became less anxious about speaking up and participating in class, joined clubs and took opportunities that seemed scary and nerve-racking for me. My friends and people around me were happy that I finally “came out of my shell”.
It wasn’t until I started college that my shyness came back. Moving to a different state and living with people whom I barely knew set me back a couple of notches, and I was back to my middle school self. I felt more comfortable showing my full personality to those who I became close with, even though it took a few months. It wasn’t till I saw an interview by the Hollywood Authentic of 2025 Academy Award winner, Mikey Madison, showing her home. She was speaking with Greg Williams about her experiences in the acting industry and her personal memories. She also spoke about her experience being shy. “My shyness pushes me to want to break out of it; I didn’t want to be shy.” She spoke about being a daydreamer as a kid, where she daydreamed about experiences where she wasn’t shy.Â
This interview resonated with me. Seeing Mikey Madison, an Oscar winner, having the same experiences I had growing up really, really inspired me. I have always wanted to come out of my shell and be bolder, be more comfortable to show my true self, and be more extroverted. Her experiences really allowed me to take a look back and see that it was fine that I was shy, it has become a part of me.