“Open the car door already! We’re going to be late!”, my mother exclaimed sanguinely on a bright sunny morning. 

I was definitely not ready for my first promotion test. Inside, I was feeling a sense of foreboding that I was going to fail my white belt to yellow belt test. As we got into the car, I immediately started to think about what my Taekwondo Master (Black Belt 7th Dan) kept trying to get us to remember during class. I made a whole list in my head, checking off what I could do and what I couldn’t: “Pattern 1, check, Hammerkick, check, Front kick, check, Turning kick, check, Rising Kick, check, inside to outside kick, check, vice versa, hard X, High-middle-low punches, check, low block, check, inward block, check, outward block, check, high block, chec-”. 

Just as I was about to finish my thoughts, my mom interrupted by saying, “We’re here! Good luck, try your best!” she gave me a kiss on the cheek, and the next thing I knew, I shut the car door, and my mom drove away. So now, it was just me and the promotion test that I would either pass or fail.

As I arrived in my classroom, I saw the big, red “KIM DO YI TAEKWONDO KWAN” sign towering over me. I saw all sorts of belts, all higher than me. I saw three white belts, including me, four yellow belts, five green belts, three red belts, and only one red-black belt. As we all sat down on the mat, the first white belt was called up. 

“Jason Yu, please up to take your test,'' said Master. As the other kid got called up, I was starting to get anxious, I was scared I wouldn’t pass. However, the kids in front of me both passed, so I started growing a tinge more confident. 

When I got called up, I was literally trembling, my legs were trembling uncontrollably, my stomach was knotted up, my head started to spin in pain, my heart started racing, and my hands were getting drenched with sweat. When Master and I returned courtesy words and bows in Korean, the test started. He tested me on my pattern, my kicks, my punches and he added some pushups as well. He was stone-faced the entire test without a smile to encourage me. He did give me nods if I did something right. As the test gradually proceeded, I realized I didn’t need any encouragement. The test was really easy! I did all of my test topics in front of him, and he nodded every time. By the time I had reached the end of the test, I had grown really confident and I was sure that I was going to ace the test. When I finished the test I saw the glistening and shiny yellow belt being held out to me. 

“Congratulations, you have passed the white belt to yellow belt test,” Master said. “My first colored belt in Taekwondo! I can’t believe it! It wasn’t even that hard!`` I thought jauntily. 

When everyone else had completed the promotion test, Master stood up and started handing out trophies. First, he gave one trophy to a new red-black belt, two green-blue belts, one new green belt, one new yellow green belt, and finally raised up the last trophy. The new yellow belt trophy, glistening yellow. I hadn’t expected to get the trophy for the best new yellow belt. I was already happy that I had passed the test. Master slowly raised the trophy with suspense to our faces, and finally, he brought it into my hands. I felt so lucky and jaunty! I couldn’t believe that I passed the test and I won the best new yellow belt trophy! 

“Congratulations, Jonathan Chen for performing excellently in the White - Yellow Belt promotion test!” once he was finished, he firmly patted me on the shoulder.

I beamed up happily at him, the test had been a lot easier than I thought, and I even won a trophy!