The Lifesaver for a Five-Minute Self-Introduction

The end of summer vacation marks the beginning of the back-to-school season! Are you ready to make new friends at school? Whether you're changing classes or entering a new school, teachers often request students to give a brief five-minute self-introduction. Self-introductions make it easier for us to get to know others and leave a good impression, giving others a chance to get to know us. Whether you're outgoing or a bit shy, you can use self-introduction to make new friends.

However, one of the most daunting and frustrating aspects is when you have to do a self-introduction in a foreign language, unsure about grammar and vocabulary. Standing in front of classmates you're not familiar with can be quite stressful. Let us share some tips and tricks to help you overcome the challenges of using English for self-introductions!

First, the opening of your self-introduction, which is often the most commonly used greeting, allows you to capture the audience's attention. Politely greeting everyone also leaves a positive impression on the listeners. It's a moment to take a deep breath and calm any nervousness you may have.

You can say:

Good morning/afternoon/evening, everyone. My name is _____.早安、午安、晚安我的名字是_____。

Hi everyone! I’m happy to be here with you. My name is _____. 大家好，很高興能在此與你們相聚。我的名字是_____。

Hello, it's a pleasure to meet you. My name is _____.嗨，很高興見到你。我的名字是_____。

Next is the core of your self-introduction. To prepare for it, you can use a mind map as an aid. List down the relevant qualities about yourself or the aspects you want others to know, such as personal experiences, interests, and hobbies, and place them into the mind map separately. This way, we can generate the main content of our self-introduction.

You can say:

I graduated from _____school. 我從_____學校畢業。

I’m a  _____student, major in _____. 我就讀_____年級，主修_____專業。

I come from [City/Country], and I’ve been here [ how long ago].

我來自[城市/國家]，我來到這裡已經[多長時間]了。

Moving on, presenting your self-introduction in a storytelling way can make it more engaging, interesting, and enriching. This approach makes it easier for your audience to remember you because they can connect your story and experiences with your personality. Additionally, don't forget to use your body language; your gestures and eye contact are crucial to complement your speech and enhance your persuasiveness and appeal. For instance, you can express politeness and enthusiasm through smiles, nods, and waving. You can also maintain eye contact with your audience at appropriate times to convey your attentiveness and sincerity.

Finally, at the conclusion of your self-introduction, it's customary to express gratitude to your attentive audience, so we might say:

Thank you for your time and attention.謝謝你的聆聽

I’m excited to be a part of this group and look forward to getting to know all of you better. Thank you.我等不及要加入你們這個大家庭，希望有機會能更近一步的認識大家。謝謝。

Thanks for allowing me to share a bit about myself. 謝謝您聆聽我分享一些關於自己的事情。

Having reached this point, are you ready to step up and give your self-introduction? Don't forget to seize the opportunity to market yourself effectively!