Reflective Essay: Navigating Differences and Realizations in Life

This reflective essay delves into the author's personal experiences of feeling different due to an introverted nature and communication barriers encountered during higher education in a new country. The essay explores feelings of isolation stemming from the inability to converse fluently in English with peers, leading to a diminished sense of self-confidence. The author reflects on the realization that such feelings are not unique and observes a tendency among some individuals to exclude those who are not proficient in English. The essay emphasizes the importance of recognizing the value of feeling different, as it provides opportunities for learning, growth, and resilience in navigating future challenges, ultimately building a stronger sense of self.

Running head: REFLECTIVE ESSAY
Reflective essay
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author Note

1REFLECTIVE ESSAY
Feeling different is another way of feeling special. I have always felt different since my
childhood due to my introvert nature as I felt alone most of the time due to lack of friends.
However, when I grew up, the world became a difficult and a complex place where I understood
that there could be more complicated situations which can make me different than others. Soon
after completing my graduation, I decided to pursue higher studies in my discipline of
humanities and with due time and my marks, I was admitted to one of the prime institutes of the
country. My journey began on the very next month when I shifted to another country to follow
my dream. As I chose to stay in the university hostel, the situation started changing. Soon I
realised that I was staying somewhere that did not give me any homely feeling. However, it took
me time to realise this uneasy feeling of not being at home was not coming from anything else; it
was the result of the people surrounding me. The students who came for that particular course
came from a diverse background and different place as a result of which they were multilingual,
and the only mode of communication was English. Coming from a native place where English
was not the official language and where people around me were more accustomed to speaking
their native language, I found myself in a different situation. My incapability of conversing in
English aggravated this. I never faced this level of isolation and indifferent in life and would
have never experienced it if I would not have come here. This was a different experience in my
life and indeed a difficult one. When I was not able to communicate with my fellow neighbours
in English, the only option I had was to stay alone as I could hardly make any friends.
What set me apart from others was that my inability to converse in English. This not only
made me feel left out, but it also brought down my confidence level in one leap. I felt I was the
only one odd and awkward here who lacked the quality to be normal.

2REFLECTIVE ESSAY
What I observed with time was that there were other students as well who came from
different places and not so good in English and it was not just me who was different. Even they
might have felt like me in the initial days. However, what was more astonishing was not these
students who had the problem with English; it was the rest of the batch that ignored people like
us. This made me realise many things and accept the situation as a lesson in my life. I observed
that for anybody whose native language was not English, they were mostly not been included
within the friend groups and this led to the feeling of indifference among the people who were
non-English speaking.
However, my realisation was more complex than my observation. I developed a
realisation based on my experience and observation. The realisation was such that English is
considered something more than just a language used as a mode of communication. This was
considered as the set standard for some people and especially for the students who were studying
in that course. Anyone coming from different background and the lack of knowledge in English
was not only excluded, but they were also made to feel low about themselves. This situation is
not just a simple situation. Such experiences in life can make or break an individual’s confidence
in life. It can make them extremely low about their self or even lower their self-esteem. This
nonchalant attitude of the students was extremely harmful to the newcomers.
Based on this experience, I realised that such situations would arise in life where I will be
made to feel negative about the self irrespective of no fault of mine. However, it is a wise rethink
about the individual self and prepares mindset for the future situation so that any such situation
could be handled with ease. Everyone realises this feeling of difference in their life. However,
their condition is different. The situation must be different, but situations are similar.

3REFLECTIVE ESSAY
What is more important as an individual is to realise that it is completely fine to feel
different as it gives us truest of realisations in life. A life without difficulty and different
experience is not worth experiencing. In these situations of difference, there are chances for the
individual to learn and grow continually.