The experience of WSSEF was a world in itself. By the way everyone was bustling around, practicing their presentations last minute, or just simply fluttering around in their suits, it was a world of activity. That was WSSEF. The Washington Science and Engineering Fair. This was the state fair I was a part of after participating in the regional fair a few weeks ago, which was the Central Sound Science and Engineering Fair. I opened the fair door to a hustle of activity on a Saturday Morning. Quickly going over to get my badge for the day, acknowledging that I am a student participating, I headed over to my stall. Each person had their own number allocated to them, on their welcome sheet, so I navigated my way through the maze, trying to find my section. My friends soon joined me, helping me set up my board and binder of articles, my notes neatly arranged in a stack.

I headed out on an adventure to find more of my classmates then. Passing trifolds and posters from various peers that I would be competing with today, I was a bit intimated. I lost my place in the crowd and was suddenly overcome with the feeling of apprehensiveness. Disoriented, I made my way towards the auditorium, packed with people my age who have done marvelous things for their projects. Finding my friends, I sat down, leg bumping up and down as I waited for the lights to dim and the stage to light up. The leader of the fair started talking, talking about the joy of it all and how much effort we took to get here. And I realized it was true. While I was nervous for today, I was confident on how much effort I had put in over the past few months. It was time to use that hard word for good and do the best I can today.

As soon as we headed into the main hall, the chatter was abuzz with nervousness, people reciting their spiel last minute, ensuring their carefully thought-out presentation didn’t drain out of their mind as the nervousness seeps in. making my way back to my stall, the judges soon walked up to me. As I introduced myself, and started my speech, it all came tumbling out like waterfall, like muscle memory. I had practiced this speech so much, even before my regional fair, that I could say it in my sleep. I smiled my way through it, pausing at appropriate moments, gesturing to my board and stopping for questions in between. I was on a roll. As I ended my speech, satisfied with the impressed and smiling judges looking back at me, I thanked them for listening, and they commended my project. They repeated my thank you before heading down to another project. Alas, I had done my best, and I was thrilled. For the next three hours, I paced around in my area, answering questions from passing judges.

The judging round had finally come to an end, and for the rest of the day, my friends walked around, talking. It was one of my favorite days, with my best friend and I walking around satisfied, both of us confident but also nervous about our performances. I had looked up at the stage in the morning, thinking I want to be one of the people to go up on it today. I would know whether I made it at 6pm that day.

Tumbling into the auditorium once again, we all waited with bated breaths as the ceremony was about to start. They were going to call the first-place winners first. My friend and I soon realized that they were going in alphabetical order, and I was the first one with the earliest first initial in the alphabet among my friend group. It was by last name, so as they got to H, I started shifting around nervously. My friend joked by saying she’ll move her legs now so I can walk past easily to get my award. I flashed her a weak smile, grateful for the support. The most nerve-racking moment hit when they got to I, and said my first name, pausing, me frozen in my seat, a ringing in my ear, before they butchered my last name. thank god, I remember saying, as I walked down the steps with a gleeful smile on my face. Butchered or not, they had said my last name, recognizing that it was me. I proudly went up on stage and collected my trophy and ribbon before standing straight next to my friends and beaming at my parents in the audience.

After multiple photos were taken and I had cheered for other friends who had won the award, I ran up to my parents, colliding with them in a clumsy hug. They were so proud of me, they said. It was the perfect ending to a perfect day. Looking down at my trophy, I smiled as I was rushed to take a gazillion photos with my friends and our trophies. Culminatively, we stood proudly with our teacher, beaming at the cameras, until it was finally time to go home. We were in formal the entire day, and my formal shoes were pinching my legs. I went home with sore feet, but a happy smile.