# How did Speech go for you?



## rusalka (Jan 12, 2004)

I know there is another thread about public speaking, but this one has a different focus: Those of you who already had taken speech, how did it go for you? If you had to do more than one speech, were there patterns that kept repeating themselves? Like stuttering or reading from notes the whole time?

I had my last speech today and though it helped that I spent the last couple of months with these people and was a little more comfortable in front of them, I did the unthinkable without thinking.... stuttered, looked down most of the time, lost my train of thought completely, kept twirling my hair around my finger... Gosh, so embarassing.... At one point it started to feel like the room was closing in on me and everything multiplied in size, can't explain it...

*Anyway,
I was wondering what it's like for other SAers!*


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## Qolselanu (Feb 15, 2006)

I took a speech class. About 1/4 through it I just stopped going because I found the teacher and environment really intimidating. Every day we would do little projects that involved of social exposure so I just stopped going.


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## ghostgurl (Sep 20, 2004)

I never took a public speaking course. Basically there was two options for me: to take public speaking or interpersonal communication. I took interpersonal communication figuring it would be easier, and it was. We didn't have any presentations really, just one at the end that wasn't too hard.

I also had to do a couple of presentations this semester. I did ok because I was prepared. If you're prepared it makes things a bit easier. I still mess up sometimes and leave things out, but I usually do fine. Once I'm up there my mind goes out the window and I'm unaware of what's going on or what I'm saying. That kind of helps in a way because if I wasn't half-conscious while I was up there, I'm sure I would be over-analyzing what I was saying.

Presentations are hell sure. I hate them and I probably always will, but unfortunately they are a necessary evil. At least they don't take too long, usually.


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## njodis (Nov 8, 2006)

My speech class just entailed doing a long written report on a subject related to computer technology, and a 30 minute solo presentation on the subject, followed by a Q&A session. Sounds like a ****ing nightmare, doesn't it? Well you're right, it was.

I did it, and I passed, but it didn't go very well. Well, actually, I guess it went better than I expected, if only for the fact that I actually did a 30 minute presentation without running screaming from the room. 

I actually prepared a bunch of notes, and for some reason I barely looked at them for the entire time. Although that might sound good, it would probably have been better if I read from the notes. I basically just made a powerpoint slideshow and rambled on about crap from memory. I was insanely nervous, and I am sure it was obvious to everyone. I ended up missing a bunch of points that I really wanted to discuss. I got all of the feedback sheets that people had to fill out, but I was too nervous to read what anyone besides the professor wrote. Basically, he said I talked too fast and was talking more to the powerpoint than the audience. :lol


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## smalltowngirl (Feb 17, 2006)

I took speech. It was a couple years ago, so I can't remember a whole lot about it. I remember I didn't like it. It wasn't too bad though. It wasn't as terrible as I thought it would be. (Few things are.) On my way out on my last day of class the professor told me I needed to be less self-conscious. He wasn't telling me that as advice for future speeches because speech class was over. It was more like he was telling me that, as a person, I need to be less self-conscious. I knew that, but it really bothered me to have him tell me that.


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## Karla (Dec 26, 2005)

i had it about 2 semesters ago. it wasn't that bad at all. we had class 2 times a week but we also had this online thing, where we were required to post our topics and have our classmates comment on them, ask questions, etc. we even had to topic about how nervous we were about giving speeches. it really really helped knowing that everyone was scared even the most outgoing ones. The first speech was the worst for me, but it got easier and easier as the semester went on. my last one was the best, i wasn't nervous at all. i spoke loudly and clearly and didn't play with my notecards at all, which i usually do. i think it was because i was standing towards the corner of the room and i had a powerpoint going on. i had a lot of pictures on it so people were focusing on that rather than on me. the topic i choose was had a lot of "gross" and "violent" pictures, it was really helpful seeing their faces in reponse to the pictures, cause then i could tell, they agreed with my point of view and not against me. i don't know, it wasn't as bad as i thought i would be, but i definitely wouldn't take it over again.


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## Whimsy (Mar 16, 2006)

I took it and it was the most humiliating stresful semester of my life. But I made three friends in the process. I had class twice a week for 2 hours and did 7 speeches...each 6 minutes. The critique was the worst! my professor went on and on about our flaws and sometimes mocked people. :mum We also had a midterm and final, easy written tests. In the end I got an A. I would rather have a root canal than go through that kind of class again.


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## mindy88 (Mar 30, 2007)

*Re: re: How did Speech go for you?*

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## Whimsy (Mar 16, 2006)

*Re: re: How did Speech go for you?*



mindy88 said:


> Whimsy said:
> 
> 
> > I took it and it was the most humiliating stresful semester of my life. But I made three friends in the process. I had class twice a week for 2 hours and did 7 speeches...each 6 minutes. The critique was the worst! my professor went on and on about our flaws and sometimes mocked people. :mum We also had a midterm and final, easy written tests. In the end I got an A. I would rather have a root canal than go through that kind of class again.
> ...


Our class really had to do 6, but my professor thought I was a special case that needed "more practice". So without telling me I finished my 5th speech and because I looked down a total of 4 times he said I had to do it over. Tore me apart with the critique because of my up and down eye contact. If someone had to re-do a speech he never let them finish which was why I was so mad.


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## NightinGale (Oct 27, 2005)

I took a speech class...a year ago in high school. The teacher was a total b*tch, but she taught me something valuable that I use outside of public speaking--faking it! She taught us how to fake like we were confident public speakers and it really helps me when I have to make presentations in school--and when I talk to kids in class.


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## Lisa (Jul 8, 2006)

*Re: re: How did Speech go for you?*



NightinGale said:


> I took a speech class...a year ago in high school. The teacher was a total b*tch, but she taught me something valuable that I use outside of public speaking--faking it! She taught us how to fake like we were confident public speakers and it really helps me when I have to make presentations in school--and when I talk to kids in class.


I took a course in public speaking recently. One of the most important things I took away was how to fake confidence. I have used it in all kinds of other situations since too.


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## emptybottle (Jan 3, 2005)

*Re: re: How did Speech go for you?*



Whimsy said:


> I took it and it was the most humiliating stresful semester of my life. But I made three friends in the process. I had class twice a week for 2 hours and did 7 speeches...each 6 minutes. The critique was the worst! my professor went on and on about our flaws and sometimes mocked people. :mum We also had a midterm and final, easy written tests. In the end I got an A. I would rather have a root canal than go through that kind of class again.


Wow, only two of my five speeches had to be 6 minutes or more. I got an A too, but there was no way I'd have done that well if all my speeches were 6 minutes. I might have dropped the class if my professor critiqued us individually in front of the class. It's ****ty of him to mock kids who are already nervous as hell.

My biggest problems were speaking too softly, sounding like I was reading, and looking at the back of the classroom instead of making eye contact. The biggest criticism I got from my prof was that my speeches sounded completely memorized (which it was; not one word was ever off the cuff), which apparently was a bad thing. This was probably the one thing I didn't improve on greatly, even though I spent a ton of time working on my vocal inflections and such to make it sound conversational.


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## xLonewolf (Aug 15, 2006)

Well I always had been adequate in public speaking but this year there was a change and I became terrified. It started off when I had to say a memorized poem in front of the class and I forgot the last lines and my voice started shaking and then ever since I started to feel doubt, and then the problem became worse because I was FOCUSING on my voice. The one right after was when my voice shook the most in my whole life. I remember feeling uneasy and when I stood up I felt kind of light headed and out of breath and my voice shook like a *****. Then some while past and I was doing a seminar and I tried to have a positive attitude and saying to myself that I felt confident but I guess I was lying to myself so my mind found a way to sabotage my efforts because my adrenaline was rushing and my voice came out weird and awkward and I couldnt speak up again during the seminar because I was embarrassed and my heart was pounding. However in my other classes I spoke adequately but that one class, History was the source of most of my embarrassments fso whenever I walked into the classroom, I would feel nervous and overwhelmed just because it became like a trigger. I remember even talking so fellow students and my voice shaking because my self-copnsciousness!! However FINALLY it all went away because I managed to stay positive despite my past horrible feeling and I tried breathing exercising and just things to relax and then I remember the teacher calling me for some question and I was afraid but I spoke and my voice actualy didnt shake, I just remember my hand tingling like crazy like it was blazing with fire! Then I had to do some skit and I was nervous but was kinda looking forward to it, to have fun and speak confidently, and I did! I spoke loud and clear and did great. I also did a panel discussion at the end of year and although my voice shook slighly in the begginning when I interjected my thoughts, i doubt anyone noticed and the rest was clear as a bell. At this point I actualy think public speaking is kinda fun. The adrenaline rush is kinda exciting and it feels so good once its over! I planning on working on my public speaking skills so I can learn to perform dynamicly and have a magical presence!! :banana


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## lyssado707 (Oct 29, 2004)

Well, I'm done. Speech ended yesterday (it was a four week intensive summer class). LOTS of reading. 16 chapters (almost the whole book). On the days we didn't have speeches she would lecture and make us do groupwork. Three speeches. All extemporaneous. Introductory (3-5 mins), Informative (5-7 mins), and Persuasive (10-12 mins). My persuasive speech went under, but she was a cool teacher and I don't think I got docked. Maybe she just forgot to dock me lol. 

With each speech you had to turn in an outline and bibliography. You had to write ten peer reviews (one page long each). Three for the introductory, five for the informative, and two for the persuasive. The informative and persuasive had to have a visual aid, which was something we could show, and it also had to have educational value. I made two cheapo poster board diagrams. Wanted to try powerpoint but had too much social anxiety to ask a classmate to click the slides for me haha. Four quizzes, 25 questions each multiple choice. One final, cumulative, 75 questions, multiple choice. 

She didn't call on people so I liked that a lot. I wasn't able to participate much in class, as usual though lol. Anyways, most people were scared, but everyone was supportive and nice. She even put a little note about public speaking causing a huge amount of anxiety and speech being the dreaded class on the syllabus. Eye contact and speaking loud was hardest for me. I didn't use as many vocalized pauses as I though I would though. Was really anxious with the first two speeches. The last one was a little better so that was cool. 

If anything good came out of this it's that classroom presentations will no longer give me heart attacks. I'll still be nervous but it'll probably be less cuz I'm used to the drill now lol. I still suck way worse at classroom discussions than public speaking. Made no progress on that eeeep.


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## SilentProphet (Jun 1, 2007)

Public speaking was by far the worst class ever. I hope i find whoever invented that class in hell. Luckily back then my SA wasn't as bad, i was still always nervous as hell before having to give a speech, but my SA wasn't as constant as it is now, and i didn't have panic attacks back then, just crazy nervousness and blushing. Also for some reason my voice would always change tone from nervousness when talking in front of people, i never understood why that would happen.


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## Qolselanu (Feb 15, 2006)

How the hell are you supposed to fake confidence?

My speech instructor told my class to "fake it until you make it." Wow because it ryhmes is it supposed to twice as effective? Just how the hell do you fake something like that?


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## xLonewolf (Aug 15, 2006)

Qolselanu said:


> How the hell are you supposed to fake confidence?
> 
> My speech instructor told my class to "fake it until you make it." Wow because it ryhmes is it supposed to twice as effective? Just how the hell do you fake something like that?


Yeah I heard of that, like "act as if." Well I think having a confident body posture and smiling sends messages to your brain and then eventually you will start feeling the way you are coming across. Smiling can trick your brain, you just have to get used to it. Just stand up tall, shoulders back, smile, look people in the eye and be passionate about the subject.


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## workman (Mar 5, 2004)

Mine went ok. I think I got an A. One of my speaches was on SA. lol. Most of my upperclasses required giving presentations. They don't bother me anymore. I think it's because I know most of the material, I know most of the students and know they are far from perfect, and most of them are pretty informal.


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## opivy22 (Mar 1, 2005)

Pretty rough, but I did ok by the end of the class. Getting to know each other in speech class *really* helps ease the tension. In one speech class I had the instructor made us learn each others first names and call everyone by their name. It really helped break the ice.

Otherwise, in your higher level classes you'll also be doing quite a lot of class presentations. Especially in senior seminars, which more or less tend to center around peer teaching.


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