Entry 1: What Happened to Me

Write a narrative about any event in your life that you remember clearly, but be sure to describe it as it affected you. Talk about how you perceived the event--sight, sound, taste, feel, smell--and what your intellectual and emotional reactions were to it. The event itself is not important--it can be boring or exciting. What is important is how you tell the story. You are practicing inserting yourself into the narrative, so be sure to be the focal part of the story and not just a passive witness. At this time don't worry about how the event changed your life (or didn't), just practice telling what happened in as much detail as you can.

•  As I stood by the side of the building, I saw the bypassing people throwing curious glances at me. For once, I understand what is was like, standing alone and not doing anything. The sun was shining brightly, and despite the fact that I was standing in the shade, I could feel the dry and humid feeling on my tongue and down my throat. I started to grow anxious. Pressing myself to the wall and feeling the coldness of the stone run up my spine, I took out my cellphone and pretended to be busy. I heard the sound of a car honking another car blocking in front. Looking up from my cellphone, I shifted towards the glass walls of Starbucks. The automatic doors slided open silently. The aroma of coffee and bread hit my nose as the sound of employees shouting orders entered my ear. I entered the shop and realizes that two of my teachers were sitting on the table, talking to a person who used to be a teacher in my school. I left out a breath I greeted and talked to them, feeling a wave of relief and familiarity. Minutes later, I walked out along with them and waved them goodbye. Again came the feeling of anxiousness. I glanced at the watch. It has already been 15 minutes since I left the cozy feeling of my mother's car. Finally, after waiting for a total of 17 minutes, I heard my name called out by a sweet voice, accompanied by my friend's face. I smiled.