Transcriber: Melissa Gaete Gatica Reviewer: Juana Laclau
It was my first time going to a public school.
Moving from a private to a public school was terrifying.
The new school culture, curriculum
and the biggest question I had when approaching the new environment was:
am I going to fit in?
Walking into that 4th grade classroom,
I tried to talk to some of my new classmates.
Being the new girl, is difficult for me to make friends with people
that were already in their friend groups.
Eventually, I tried to talk like them and act like them in order to fit in.
At times, even having friends, I still got conscious about how I was.
And the truth is that I don't have confidence in myself at all.
We oftentimes wish we could start somewhere new,
have a different image,
and become that idealized version of ourselves.
But the key to starting fresh
is to first develop confidence through calm tactics
According to a study conducted by University of Texas,
57% of girls and 68% of boys of the same race, academic background,
and social class, are less likely to attend college because of the fear
of not fitting in.
Everyone has challenges when they’re different,
even to the point where it causes us to neglect our true and unique attributes.
When the pandemic first began, human interaction changed,
I was not so conscious about myself,
since I hadn’t had a real conversation in so long.
During online school, I would slowly start turning on my camera,
answering questions and eventually participating in class discussions.
I would refer to this as my Chill Factor.
I took any of the activities and events I had on my calendar calmly,
and everything I did is done without procrastination.
With schools and stores slowly starting to open back up,
I brought the same concept into my daily conversations.
In the past, I used to be stiff in my conversations,
and scold myself for little mistakes I made while speaking.
But now it was easier for me to have a conversation, because I realized that
the important aspect of a conversation was the ability to listen,
and I learned this by being away from people for so long.
And what helped to build this confidence was the Chill Factor.
Now, when I say Chill Factor, I don’t mean the stereotypical chill,
as someone who is laid back and doesn’t care about what others think or say.
But when applied to real life,
the Chill Factor is not overthinking your past decisions
and instead of focusing on the future.
We shouldn’t let the little difficulties that may prevent us,
distract us from achieving our goals.
We choose minor difficulties to be a problem,
so that instead of just temporary conflicts and come to a feasible solution.
Calmness is an important trait that every human should possess.
And the key to solving the many problems that occur in the world today,
is to use the Chill Factor and approach problems one step at a time.
Are any of you familiar with blinders in horseback riding?
Race horses use blinders to prevent them from seeing any distractions
because they can see so clearly to the side.
We should be using this relationship between the horse and blinders
in our everyday life.
Just as the horses use blinders,
humans should use the Chill Factor, to neglect any distractions
that are going on inside, and instead focus on reaching the finish line
Dale Carnegie states that people rarely succeed unless they’re having fun.
The purpose of the the Chill Factor is not to ignore your tasks,
but you rather stop overthinking them and instead find a way to enjoy them.
So remember, if you ever have that one assignment due at 9AM the next morning
and are stressed about it,
just use the Chill Factor,
and approach everyday life with ease and confidence.
Thank you.
(Applause)