Update on how my speech class is going.
You all may remember me talking about the dreaded speech class I have to take in my final semester of college and how I was basically terrified.
Well, I am almost to the end of the semester and I am sort of comfortable giving a speech now. Despite my earlier anxiety and my very apparent nervousness in the first few speeches, I am getting an 'A' in that class. I haven't gotten a score lower than a 90% and most of them have been in the mid and upper 90s. What saved me in the early going was that the delivery style of the speech was only worth 10% of the grade for the speech. I am a good writer and I know how to follow instructions, so the outlines and the structures of my speeches have all been very strong.
My biggest weakness as far as my personality goes has always been a lack of confidence, especially in social situations. That's one reason why truck driving for a career to this point has appealed to me. However, with my successes in school (I'm going to graduate with highest honors) and my new found public speaking ability, I can feel my confidence growing stronger by the week.
Several of you have suggested Toastmasters for development of public speaking ability. I am considering joining a group after graduation to continue improving in this area.
I have two other classes that I'm taking this semester. I have completed all of the major assignments in them. I have two speeches to give yet for my speech class. In the capstone class for my business major, I took the capstone exam yesterday. It's an exam that tests your general knowledge of business. It covers areas from every class in the major. It is a test given to business students from across the nation and from many schools. I scored in the top 11% in the country. The test was scored on a curve in my class and that resulted in me getting a grade of 100%.
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I recall when you started that class, and I'm glad that you heeded the advice around here to gut it out and give yourself the chance. Many, many people have problems speaking in public and the only way to defeat that is to work through it. It appears that your class has given you a relatively safe place to practice those skills. Public speaking is a valuable skill that will help you in many ways, if only to help overcome some social phobias.
It sounds like you are headed for some new adventures. Best of luck to you moving forward!
As an older guy, I have some experience with this. I've done a few things in my life involving speaking out in public, or at least in groups, and it takes practice.
Sounds like you're doing well. Again, congrats!
and great to hear!
I've been that way ever since I started getting proper treatment for severe mental illness. It's like a side effect of the treatment is that it made me more ambitious. But that's probably just they way I truly am when my brain is functioning properly.
Jen is doing well. We recently celebrated our third anniversary. I got her a new iPad. New technology appears to be the way to her heart. 
I knew you could do it, and here you are...........doing just that.
I'm so very proud of you!
This entire college experience has given me a boost in confidence as far as my intellectual abilities go, but I hadn't put it all together until I started this speech class. You are right. It is truly opening up new doors for me.