There I was, middle row but towards the back of the room, nearly shaking with nervousness. My name was called, I stood up and walked to the front of the room, no turning back now, all eyes on me as I stuttered through my first speech of the year. Thankfully these nerves have faded throughout the year. However, they did not go away immediately. I had to figure out a way to deal with them and get over them throughout the year.

On the first day of school, walking into first hour Communications 9, I was as nervous as anyone could be. I had heard stories about huge assignments, but what worried me the most was the speeches that I would have to present. Anyone who knows me knows that I am the kind of person who does not like to give class presentations. I would much rather complete an assignment and turnitin and be done with it, than stand up in front of the class and deliver my work. Nevertheless, it was required for the class so I was going to have to figure it out eventually. As the second speech came along and it was about time to deliver, I realized that I could hardly remember anyone else’s previous speech. I asked my friend who was also in that class, and he could barely remember also. Even through the first two speeches of the year I had already learned a lot about how to get over nerves.
I had already learned that within a month, by the end of the school year, and during the summer into the following year that no one was going to remember if I misspoke a word or stuttered a little during a speech. This really helped me overcome some nervousness, but it wasn’t the main reason that been able to help control them. I found that the best way that I am able to control my nerves is by just closing my eyes and taking a deep breath. When I do this I try to forget whatever is making me stressed. Doing these things have greatly helped me get rid of nerves.

Not only has taking a deep breath helped me during class presentations, but it has also helped me outside of school as well. It has mainly helped me during trap shooting and golfing. During trap shooting I always want to do my best and keep a good average, to forget about this I just take a deep breath and do my best and it will work out in the end. For golf, before a match I just take a deep breath, and remember that if I just try my best whatever happens will happen. It also helped recently when I was asked to read during an Eagle Scout ceremony, it was not a large piece to read yet it still made me nervous because I had never read in front of more than 20-25 people in a class at school. Just before I stood up to read I remembered what I had learned from class, I took a deep breath, and then delivered it. What I have learned in class has not only benefited me inside of class, but outside as well.

Speaking in class has taught me how to deal with nerves, inside and outside of school. I have learned the best way for me to deal with nervousness in different situations. The things that I have learned have not only helped me in school, but in different parts of my life also. I walked into class that first morning dreading giving speeches, and I will walk out of class on the last day with a new realization that delivering speeches is not as bad as I thought it was. Even though I still don’t consider myself to be a good public speaker, I do know that I am able to deal with the stress that come with speaking. I believe that speaking in class has changed me since the beginning of the school year. From now on I will look at public speaking much differently due to what I have learned in class, and I will try to be more open about public speaking.