# speech class



## jca (Feb 7, 2005)

I have to take a speech class next semester and am freaking out. Anybody have any suggestions? Thanks


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## WhyMe888 (Aug 22, 2005)

i hate speeches and i'm required to take one. i took it over the summer at community college and it wasn't as bad as i thought it would be. everyone was nervous. i don't care how outgoing they seem on the outside, they are freaking out too! i had to make 3 presentations. the first two were horribly cause everyone was looking at me. but for the third one, i had a visual aid, so everyone was looking at my powerpoint presentation instead of me so that made me alot less nervous. visual aids definetly help, well at least in my case it did, cause everyone would be looking at that instead of you and when 30 odd pairs of eyes aren't looking at you, it takes alot of the pressure off. good luck


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## cakesniffer (Nov 11, 2003)

Gumaro said:


> my ex was informed that if she brought proof that she could not do speech class because of SA (note i guess) she may be excused from taking the speech class


That's what I did. I still had to give the speeches for the teacher at his office, but I was fine with that. As long as I didn't have to do it in front of the class.


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## Vincenzo (Sep 24, 2005)

I have a dilemma about this. I know I'll screw up when I have to do speeches, but I think getting myself excused would be sort of a coward's way out. (no offence to anyone here, and yes I know that 'no offence' is something idiots say to excuse them for being disrespectful)

What happens to the marks you'd get for the speech, anyway? Surely they can't just ignore that part of the course?


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## emptybottle (Jan 3, 2005)

I think getting excused would be the coward's way out too. Not everyone in your speech class will be a good speaker; the poor speakers in my class outnumber the good ones.... Just do the best you can under your circumstances, that's what I'm doing. I get so anxious that I sometimes get that feeling that I'm not going to live to see the day of the speech, but I found that you don't die doing speeches. I feel proud of myself afterward, even if I don't get as good a grade as I hoped for. I don't think the SA excuse will fly with every college. If the excuse doesn't work with your school, don't drop out or put it off even further.


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## cakesniffer (Nov 11, 2003)

Call me a coward, but how would you like weekly panic attacks? That was just a tad rude. Maybe you two can find the ability to do them, but don't go calling those who can't cowards. :roll


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## QuietOne (Aug 1, 2005)

I don't think it's the cowards way out either. Why should I waste so much energy fretting about a speech class when I know that I'm never going to be a public speaker in real life. It's not for everyone. Just like not everyone has the ability to play a musical instrument well, not everyone can be a great speaker. People who choose not to be in band because they suck aren't considered cowards, so why should people with SA who can't do speeches be considered cowards when they don't participate in speech class?


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## bellicose (Sep 16, 2004)

It's not so bad, really. It's easy to make friends in there because everyone is scared to death.

I thought of using SA to get out of taking the class, but that seemed too easy a way out... not necessarily a coward's way out, I just felt that I shouldn't use my psych disorders as an excuse to avoid something uncomfortable. I won't achieve anything by avoiding anxiety-provoking situations. There will be much more challenging things in my future, so a 100-level speech class is no big deal. :stu


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## Vincenzo (Sep 24, 2005)

Sheri said:


> Call me a coward, but how would you like weekly panic attacks? That was just a tad rude. Maybe you two can find the ability to do them, but don't go calling those who can't cowards. :roll


Don't go getting offended. I wouldn't even be in this thread if I didn't have a similar problem.

I know for a FACT that if I had a speech presentation I'd screw it up because of anxiety. For some reason I still feel like I have some obligation to do it.

But I digress, you're right, if you're having panic attacks it's a different ballpark, so my apologies. 

Now can someone tell me what actually happens with the marks you'd get for the speech class?

thanks


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## WhyMe888 (Aug 22, 2005)

i don't think it's a coward's way out. public speaking is so difficult even for people without SA but for people with SA it's a nightmare


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## Ashley102877 (Oct 11, 2005)

I had to take speech class.

The only bad part was the IMPROMPTU TO SPEECHS.

Thats were you ramdomly draw a topic out of a hat and you get 1 min to prepare the speech in your head and then you give it. It had to be 1 min. or else to it again or no crite.


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## numbsmiles (Jan 2, 2005)

I'm not afraid to get up there, it's just that when I get up there no words come out lol I'll say a bunch of nonsense sometimes not even relevant to the subject.

I'm sure you've all been there. Sweaty palms, your heart feels like it's going to pop out of your chest and you get weak in the knees and begin to shake.

Yup been there.

It'd be great if a doctor can excuse you from the class. I wonder if this goes for all schools. I'm sure certain schools have their own rules.


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## nerdie (Oct 16, 2005)

Tell me about it, I am require to do a presentation in front of 100's of people in a auditorium. There'll be cameras, camcorders, and even employers who are looking for candidates.


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## wannabeMD (Sep 23, 2005)

I was freaking out about my speech class I had to take about a year ago, but it ended up being one of my best classes ever (go figure). The only thing I could figure is that my anxiety is caused when I feel like the only one that is nervous. With my speech class, everybody was really freaked out and we kind of helped each other through it. I also had a great teacher, and as long as I prepared really well, I always did well. I ended up getting an A, which is also ironic because I can't get through most other classes because of SA. Just remember that in speech class, everyone is freaking out so it can be more like a support group. Good Luck!


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## cube (Jul 8, 2004)

I'm thinking of taking it next semester just to face some of my fears.


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