Samyukta Kulkarni Week 16 - Wrong Answers Only
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“7 times 4, 7 times 4, 7 times 4,” I repeated over and over in my mind like a mantra. It was second grade, and the class was reciting multiplication tables, one by one. The voices marched closer, and finally, it was my turn. I stood up with a confidence that only a seven-year-old could have, opened my mouth, and proudly blurted out “7 times 4 is equal to 24.” The whole class erupted in laughter as I shrank back into my seat, wishing I could disappear. I wanted to rewind time and make sure that everyone, including me, forgot that this ever happened.
Throughout my life, I have had my fair share of embarrassing moments. Some louder than others, like the time I announced the wrong answer in front of my whole class, and others more private but still humiliating nonetheless. But just because they were uncomfortable, are they worth forgetting? Embarrassing memories, as awful as they may feel in the moment, has a strange way of teaching us lessons that we would not have learned any other way.
Embarrassing memories like this are not meant to be forgotten or erased from our minds. Instead, they should be treated as a lesson and learned from. Every mistake and wrong answer has something that I can learn from. While I may never forget my multiplication mistake, it no longer haunts me. It taught me something about myself, that I am someone who tries, fails, and learns to laugh it off (eventually).
Hello, Samyukta! I enjoyed reading your funny blog about embarrassment this week: one I am sure many of us could relate to. I actually had a pretty similar experience, but my moment of shame happened to be during eighth grade as we emerged as awkward teenagers from quarantine. I also had to solve a math problem—multiplication with variables. Common Core 3 and Algebra, this should have been a relatively easy concept, but this newfound unfamiliarity of being around others led me to forget how to approach this problem completely. Moving on, however, I appreciate the way you approach embarrassing moments as mere lessons to learn. Although I am guilty of preaching this more than I practice, I do truly believe that embarrassment is a social construct, and it does not have to keep us up at night as we remember awkward moments of our past. Thank you for your last blog of this entire year, and I hope you find this experience as fulfilling as I did!
ReplyDeleteHey Samyukta! I’ve certainly had my fair share of embarrassing moments and I can confidently say that these moments stick with me the longest and have taught me a lot about how to act in public and treat other people. Sometimes however I notice myself cringing at moments in my life where I simply acted differently than my peers, and was ashamed by it. This can be a problem since it drives conformity, which for the most part is very valuable in society, but it also doesn’t hurt to be a little different, as being unique is what makes everyone stand out.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing this relatable phenomenon. I’ve really enjoyed reading your blogs this semester and thank you for being a part of our cohort!