# Got an A on a speech



## emptybottle (Jan 3, 2005)

I managed an A- on a 6 minute speech on my speech class, even though it didn't seem like an A-worthy speech judging from the videotape of it I was forced to watch. I was extremely nervous and it was pretty obvious on the tape, but I guess it was still good :banana.This is such a boost of confidence for my future speeches this semester. I had dropped this same class my first year of college because of my anxiety, and I would have graduated a year ago already if I had just gone through with it. Looks like I'm not going to be dropping, and will finally be able to graduate.
For anyone taking a speech class, don't think of it as a performance or recital where people expect you to be perfect. My classmates were a pretty sympathetic audience, which helped a lot.


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## lostsockmonkey (Oct 7, 2005)

that is so fantastic! Congratulations!


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## glittergaze (May 4, 2005)

Way to go! That's awesome! :boogie :clap


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

Woohoo, EmptyBottle :boogie :boogie :boogie!


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## wannabeMD (Sep 23, 2005)

Great job!!! Public speaking can be hard, but once you start doing it, it can really boost your confidence. My speech class ended up being really cool because everyone seemed just as scared as me. Congratulations!!

:banana


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## cj (Jan 25, 2004)

Great!!!!!! Yes overcoming discomfort and doing something regardless of it is very rewarding.


LOL now you can give lessons to the others that are terrified - on how to handle it - lol


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## ghostgurl (Sep 20, 2004)

Excellent! :banana :banana :banana


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## zelda (Oct 14, 2005)

I can't tell you how many times I have dropped out of speach or any class for that matter that requires me to give a speach, I hear your success and it makes me know Im gonna have to get on some drugs or something if I am ever going to graduate college. Congratulations I bet it feals super awesome.


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## danielj (Mar 14, 2005)

Great job! I've signed up for a speech anxiety class and that one is hell even though everyone else is in the same situation as me. Can't even imagine doing it otherwise, like you did.

Awesome of you!


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## uranage (Jul 4, 2004)

That's way cool!!! Good job on the good grade! :banana


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## emptybottle (Jan 3, 2005)

Thanks a lot for the support, guys! 

zelda, good luck if you do decide to take speech!


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## ShyLight (Jun 19, 2004)

Great Job!!! Keep it up! :clap :clap :clap :clap :clap


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## SpesVitae (Oct 20, 2005)

I'm so happy for you emptybottle! What a confidence-booster it must be to have aced your first speech. I hope your new-found courage will be your key ultimately out of social anxiety disorder.

Can you or anyone else tell me what a speech class is like? I may have to take one. I have performed several speeches in my lifetime during elementary school and middle school, and those weren't so bad because I was simply asked to recite something that I memorized. Of course I was still nervous, but I made sure to have memorized the speech extremely well so that I wouldn't blank out and embarrass myself. I'm sure you can't just memorize your speech in an actual speech class though...right? Does it require extemporaneous speech where you are asked to just think of things to say off the top of your head with little preparation beforehand? That's the kind that I'm sure for me would be somewhat traumatic at this point in my social anxiety.

Thanks,
Marcus


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## deoxygenated (Nov 10, 2003)

:clap :clap :clap


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## GIJOE290 (Nov 8, 2004)

Way Cool! Great Job! :clap :banana :clap


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## kenny84 (Jul 11, 2005)

u friggen rock!


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## emptybottle (Jan 3, 2005)

SpesVitae said:


> Can you or anyone else tell me what a speech class is like? I may have to take one. I have performed several speeches in my lifetime during elementary school and middle school, and those weren't so bad because I was simply asked to recite something that I memorized. Of course I was still nervous, but I made sure to have memorized the speech extremely well so that I wouldn't blank out and embarrass myself. I'm sure you can't just memorize your speech in an actual speech class though...right? Does it require extemporaneous speech where you are asked to just think of things to say off the top of your head with little preparation beforehand? That's the kind that I'm sure for me would be somewhat traumatic at this point in my social anxiety.
> 
> Thanks,
> Marcus


In high school English it's okay to memorize it because the emphasis is usually much more on content rather than delivery. In college, extemporaneous is recommended, where you're allowed to speak from an outline. You can prepare for this beforehand, or even speak from memory if you want, as long as you don't read from notes where your entire speech is written word for word. Speeches in my class range from 4 to 8 minutes, depending on the assignment. Impromptu speaking is when you think of things to say with no preparation. You have to do that in some classes, but not in my class, thank god!! Good luck!


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