A few years ago, I learned that sometimes it 1. pays off(kannattaa) to ask for help. It was time to write my college application essays, but I was afraid
2. I wasn’t smart enough (minä en ollut tarpeeksi fiksu) and wouldn’t stand out from the crowd. My high school teachers said I was a bright student, but they were just 3. obligated to say so (velvollisia sanomaan niin). Finally, my mother told me to ask Mr Fuller from 4. across the street (kadun toiselta puolen) to
5. review my application (tarkastaa hakemukseni). He was a retired English professor, but he was very intimidating. However, the thought of not getting into college was 6. far more terrifying / far more frightening / far more scary (paljon pelottavampi), so I decided to go over to his house. This was 7. a life or death situation / a matter of life or death (kysymys elämästä ja kuolemasta), after all. I reminded my mum that my funeral song choice was “Another One Bites the Dust” (8. in the event that / in case (siinä tapauksessa, että) I wouldn’t make it back.) Mr Fuller opened the door and stared at me
9. in his typical grim fashion / in his typical grim manner / in his typical grim way (tyypilliseen synkkään tapaansa). I explained my situation and he agreed to go through my application. He wasn’t exactly
10. laughing with joy / laughing with delight (nauranut ilosta) when he read my essay, but he wasn’t cringing with embarrassment either. In the end, I got some useful advice and eventually I got into the college I had hoped to get into.