The Power of Silence by Tyler

The Power of Silence by Tyler - July 2023 Scholarship Essay

My biggest failure during my educational experience was choosing to be silent. This silence was born from insecurity and uncertainty. Would my classmates be able to understand some of my more nuanced takes that didn’t stem from our textbook, but from personal experience and outside research. Things that cannot begin to be taught in the classroom for fear of controversy or accepting very hard truths.
This silence offered me a space to reflect and ponder, yet it left me very passive. For a while I simply just let life happen to me. I let others take the lead in group projects, even when advised by my teachers that I should try to voice my opinion more. However the validation from my teachers that I had well rounded responses and interesting takes on various topics, failed because I was unable to find that validation within myself.
I tried my best to be a fly on the wall. Even when none of my classmates had the correct answer and I knew I did, I remained silent. My teachers would walk around the classroom glancing at everyones papers and stop to tell me I had the correct answer and yet I would be unwilling to share it with the class unless told to directly (typically via being cold called, and introverts' worst nightmare).
These experiences and moments where silence was chosen, led me to learn a lot about myself and others. I became better about reading people, in regards to body language and personality aspects. This helped me better navigate the social aspect of the classroom and establish a power in my words.
Being known as someone with little to say, whenever I do choose to speak it is often met with the silence of others, as my voice and message often deviate from the normal eb and flow of conversion.
Silence offered me comfort and a shield from my insecurities, yet it also gave me a new found power. My refusal to participate, led to me truly listening and watching. To better internalize the information needed to then accurately respond to the claims of others. I learned to value speaking with purpose, rather than simply speaking to fill the silence. Many individuals are uncomfortable with silence, but I have learned to relish in it as it is a wealth of nonverbal communication that aids in interpersonal growth and true consideration. Thus my biggest educational failure, led to tremendously growth and understanding the power of my voice and how to best use it to my advantage.