Assignment 8- Katelyn Rowell- My Hatred for Public Speaking

Fears- public speaking, failing, letting people down, heights

Annoyances- selfishness, gossiping, dishonesty

Accomplishments- close with my family, student-athlete

Confusions- why people feel the need to be rude and hateful

Sorrows- overthinking,

Dreams- retire early, live on a lake in Michigan, travel

Idiosyncrasies- puzzles, puns, eating peanut butter by itself

Risks- zip-lining in the middle of nowhere, parasailing 

Beloved Possessions- (then) my Webkinz, (now) my sweatshirts and pajama pants

Problems- getting out of my comfort zone

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always hated public speaking. The thought of standing in front of a room full of people, with all eyes on me, is enough to get my heart racing. Often times I question why I become so nervous when presenting, especially when it’s in the classroom. Aren’t the people I’m presenting to just like me? I guess it’s the thought that I’m the center of attention. Everyone in the room is focused on me. I’m not an overly confident person, and I often prefer listening over speaking. So whenever I’m given the task to stand at the front of the room, my heart starts to race as my hands begin to shake. Whenever you present, you put yourself out there. In doing so, you invite criticism and disagreement. It takes a certain level of confidence to become an effective public speaker, and, like all things, you improve your skills through practice. My hope is that one day I’ll become comfortable with public speaking. But until then, I’m going to fake it until I make it.