Public Speaking Is Maybe Not So Bad

            At the beginning of the semester I knew only one thing about public speaking and that was that I hated it. I took AGCM 1200 in order to avoid the regular public speaking class. When Dr. Holt told us that we were going to be learning about public speaking after all, I was pretty bummed. However after each presentation, I was pleasantly surprised by how well it went. I can honestly say I have improved in public speaking since the beginning of the class. In the first project, “Know Your Role,” I was nervous and talked so quickly but today when I presented my poster project, I was calm and conversational. I have learned to always practice more than once and to breath steadily to reduce nerves and mistakes. There are a couple of things I think I now accomplish effectively as a public speaker and they are as follows: tone, passion, and speed. I’m more comfortable with speaking in front of people and so the better tone, passion, and speed just kind of came along with that. There are still a few things I could change and that would be stumbling over thoughts, and shaking hands when nervous. Both things could honestly be fixed with, you guessed it: more practice, something I hope to get more of in the future. There are tons of things I will take away from this class to use in my own public speaking habits. First, visuals are very effective when used appropriately. Secondly, take a deep breath, slow down and focus on something in the distance if you get nervous. Finally and most importantly, always practice more than you should. I’m very glad I took this class because I feel like I learned something that I can really use in the future.