UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES DILIMAN

EXTENSION PROGRAM IN PAMPANGA AND OLONGAPO

GENERAL EDUCATION

SPEECH 30
PUBLIC SPEAKING AND PERSUASION
LECTURER: GEOFFERSON B. TING

Q1
REFLECTION ESSAY
(SELF CONCEPT)

I. FOLLOWING THE FORMAT, ANSWER THE QUESTIONS.

1. INTRODUCTION
● Premise of your self-concept

2. BODY
● Issue 1 on self-concept
● Issue 2 on self-concept
● Issue 3 on self-concept

3. CONCLUSION
● Go back to the premise of your self-concept

*USE THIS DOCUMENT TO EXPAND YOUR POSITION PAPER.

Here are the rubrics for the said worksheet.

Points Components:

Criterion Components Points

CONTENT Relevance to the Subject 20
Relevance to Speech 30 20
FORM Introduction 10
Body 20
Conclusion 10
AUDIENCE RECEPTION Clarity in Writing 10
Impact 10
100 POINTS

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 UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES DILIMAN
EXTENSION PROGRAM IN PAMPANGA AND OLONGAPO
GENERAL EDUCATION

Name: LOPEZ, MARY NINA JANE G.

Student No.: 2021-40792
Date of Submission: February 28, 2022

Speech 30: Public Speaking and Persuasion

WORKSHEET FOR Q1: Reflection Essay (Self-concept)

SURVIVOR OF MY OWN

"You're a strong person; you can get through this soon."

I bit my lip. I sighed before answering,
"People think that strong people remain tough in every trial. They think the jokester in
the group will forever be laughing. They think that not saying anything means you're not dealing
with any problems at all. But what if I have been strong long enough, and now, my last straw is
gone—do I give up? What if I can't see any silver lining anymore, and as I go with the flow,
where it takes me now? And what if I say I need help? Would you extend your hand to me the
way I did when you were the one needing my presence?"

In this world where nothing is certain, it's important to seek inner peace because that's
where genuine happiness will be rooted from. But what if you can't even be happy because there
are too many reasons for you not to be? Would you still choose to go on?

People called me weak, ugly, and a trying-hard lady. I'm the scattered sunlight that fills
the horizon and the heavy rain that pours alongside everyone's painful tears of grief or joy. I am
what you see and what you don't. I am hungry for every word. I am not easy to read because I
usually hide my feelings through metaphors. Sometimes, it's a closed call, but you wouldn't
know for sure anything at all.

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 UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES DILIMAN
EXTENSION PROGRAM IN PAMPANGA AND OLONGAPO
GENERAL EDUCATION

Back then, I used to be one of the happiest girls in this world regardless of what other
people were telling me. I love doing things that help me express what my heart and soul want to
say because I am confident that I am doing the right thing without hurting other people's feelings,
contradicting what they did to me, which left a scar on my childhood memories. Day by day, I
notice that I am already losing my self-esteem in doing things that I loved most before because
of the simultaneous problems and self-doubt I experienced. I realized that it's been a challenging
journey to keep ourselves motivated despite all the struggles we need to conquer. It's hard to
inspire and remind ourselves that everything is alright, especially when we are born, not just to
live for ourselves alone but also to help others live while we are struggling on our own.

As I got older, I learned that it's hard to enjoy life when your current situation limits you
from getting everything you need and when no one has to serve the table for you. In the nineteen
years of my existence, most of it, I've constantly been experiencing uncertainties and living a
chaotic life. I've been so much hurt every time that some people underestimate my family and me
for the not-so-well life we had. Is having a poor life a sin? Crazy, yes! Then, how will I find my
peace when life has to throw me many times to different challenges other people don't have to go
through? Maybe, yes, I am weak because I can't stand long seeing my family suffer from our
neighbors and other relatives' discrimination for having a poor life. What can we do? We don't
have privileged just like them? What we only have is to work hard every day to sustain our
needs. Is our status in life wrong? Or the people are? Exhausting right? But this chaotic
environment where I grew up made me who I am - a strong and independent woman. I know this
kind of life is tiring, but I have to stand up for myself and for the people I love. I have to
continue flying even though my wings are wounded. I have to take the extra mile to live and win
over the sunrise to sunset, and I have to always get back stronger after many times of falling.

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 UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES DILIMAN
EXTENSION PROGRAM IN PAMPANGA AND OLONGAPO
GENERAL EDUCATION

I fell a lot of times because I thought that I was not enough, which is what other people
say. They call me worthless, ugly, and different name-calling, but you know what, I don't mind,
as long as I have myself believing that I am more than enough. At some point, I got affected, but
it motivated me to become more and better. You might call me ugly because I am not pretty like
other girls. You might call me ugly because of being me. But you cannot hide the fact that this
ugly girl you were calling at is proud to say that she is doing everything she can to provide for
her needs and help her family have a comfortable life.

People also called me hungry but they may be called hungry because I am trying so many
things, not just to never again experience running out of fuel in life, but I know I'm far from that.
It may be present for survival alone, but I hope and pray that "soon" it won't work only for that.
It will let us live, enjoy, and let me and my family experience things and moments I/we have to
let go, deprive ourselves of, and set aside because of this journey of ours.

One time, my friend asked me; you have been feeling too much, haven't you?
And I said someone who doesn’t understand me would tell me to stop feeling that way
because that's life, but there comes the point when we all realize that sometimes, we cannot think
our way out of a feeling. Our hearts are not robotic, and our minds are a mess, even when we
desperately want to be okay. I want you to know that people are allowed to struggle and feel the
pain, even if they know exactly why they are struggling. People are allowed to keep fighting in
their own ways and moving forward in small steps, even if it's almost unrecognizable. In the end,
what matters isn't failing or winning. The only thing that matters is trying the most you can and
by trying. You are not a bad person or a good-for-nothing for not having the best version of life
yet. Please, don't put yourself through hell because you are still not who you wanted to be. Even

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 UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES DILIMAN
EXTENSION PROGRAM IN PAMPANGA AND OLONGAPO
GENERAL EDUCATION

if you are struggling today and know why you have been in such constant pain, I hope you
remember to pat yourself for still going on. There will be a time when you will be able to tell
yourself that you were able to be your best, even if it was only for a day. When that day comes, I
hope you can look back and be proud of yourself. I hope you never give up on yourself, even
when the world has given up on you.

Is it rough and shaky? Yes! You will stumble and fall. But we have to brace ourselves
every day with the courage to face anything that might arise. And you know, this journey taught
me how to be patient, appreciative, grateful, and resourceful, which I believe is just part of the
process of equipping me/us with a great future ahead. But actually, most of the time, it's my faith
that keeps me going. I know this will be worth it and will be paid off soon. God sees, hears, and
surely answers our cries and prayers. He will.

Thus, this extraordinary calling was fueled by an extraordinary love and an extraordinary
purpose. It may be a different path most people haven't walked through, but I am still grateful
that life may not be running out of challenges. Still, it also didn't run out of weapons to respond
to those circumstances, and I am grateful and blessed to be one of those to walk on it and see the
beauty of hardships. If anyone walking the same road knows that you're not alone. We can make
it. We can all make it. We are strong people; we can get through this soon. If you think that no
one is there who believes in you, then be with yourself. Believe that there is no impossible for
someone like you who had the courage to make the impossible possible because true happiness
comes when you start to choose and live your life. True happiness comes when you learn to fight
and defeat all the demons surrounding you. Padayon!

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