My Biggest Achievement

By: Zhemaiah Oze

The bell rang, showing it was time for lunch which the students had been waiting for, 11 year old me
walked out of the classroom with head down through the silence which suddenly turned into noise
around me. The girls gathered with their elite friend groups, the boys impatiently headed downstairs
to play basketball. I thought how happy it would be to have a company who you could spend time
with, unfortunately, I was bullied at that time, people avoided me, at that point, I found myself lonely
and in a situation where I questioned how people could accept for who I was. I felt like a stranger in
their presence, left behind in the midst of their excitement.

In fact, at that time, I realized that there was a girl, quietly eating her lunch alone. From afar, I saw the
way students treated her, certainly not in a friendly way, they just left her with bad experiences that
made her cry a couple of times. There I started to feel empathy, I could imagine myself being in her
position, it must have been very difficult for her to focus on school but her environment treated her
badly. I started approaching her, becoming friends with her, and I tried getting to know her more.

As time went by, I dared to ask the others to eat together with this girl. I knew at that time. I was not
that close to my classmates, but I tried my best to be able to build friendships starting from eating
together at lunch. Of course, at first they refused, but in the end they wanted to do so. I was happy and
felt very joyful because of that moment, I talked to my friends to try to understand the girl, then they
started talking to that girl. Before the academic year ended, I was finally able the girl’s smile,
surrounded by friends who loved and supported her, friendships have become even better since then
and it was truly memorable.

Achievement, often perceived as awards, certifications, success you’ve achieved because of your
personal strength and talents. This perspective transforms achievements into self-acceptance,
affirming our identity and worth. However, it is important to acknowledge that achievement is not
solely about competition awards, grand performances, or even the amount of compliments you get
from people. Instead, it transcends these boundaries and extend to the impact we bring to the lives of
those around us. This perspective reframes achievement as a guide for growth, one that aligns with
our purpose in life.

My biggest achievement as I reflect on it, has been my ability to show care and empathy to those
around me. Despite the problems I had, I’ve come to realize that a simple act of reaching out to a
lonely friend can have a touching yet meaningful impact that can also set an example for others to
follow. So, my biggest achievement isn’t tied to grand gestures or even awards, but to the ability to be
a good example and bring positivity, one small act of kindness at a time.