It was my sophomore year in college and after recently changing my major to business I was forced to take another speech class. The professor told us we had to compose a speech and present it to the class based on an issue which would persuade the class to perform a certain action. My speech was to persuade people to abolish animal testing.
I remember walking to class that day my heart beating faster with every step that brought me closer to the library. I wore a red shirt because my teacher told us the color red draws people’s attention more towards you. My class was in the basement of the library on USI’s campus. When I reached the classroom I loaded my power point and went over my note cards one last time. When the professor arrived I started to feel faint because I was the first one to present that class period.
After our “nerve relieving” exercises she made us do every speech day, I proceeded to walk to the front of the classroom and begin my speech. I brought up my power point and walked back to the front of the class. After the timer started I began with the first line of my speech which included an appalling statistic of animal testing.
I made it through my speech without skipping a line, stumbling, using any type of filler, or exceeding my time limit. I walked around the room, kept eye contact with the students as well as the professor. Once I had finished my speech, the class applauded and my professor walked to the front of the room. She told the class what an excellent speech I gave, and to model their future speeches after my performance. She proceeded to tell the class what a spectacular job I did on my speech and how it was obvious I practiced and cared about the class.
The next time I was in her class she took my speech as an example for the students and explained how great of a job I did and how I exceeded her expectations. She also made me her student helper for the remainder of the class period to evaluate the other student’s speeches and give my opinions on their overall performances.
I still think of that particular moment right after my speech when my professor bragged to the class about the wonderful job I had done. This moment has given me so much more confidence in not only my speeches which followed that class, but also life in general. I realized I had overcome my fear of giving presentations to groups of people. The aspect of speaking which I had feared the most before the class was demolished after a simple ten minute persuasive speech.
Since this incident, if I learn I have the chance to give presentations in classes I am not mortified by the idea. I am now willing to accept the challenge and give a presentation to the best of my abilities keeping the tips I have learned and confidence I have gained through Speech 101 in mind.
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