I was very impressed with the first round of speeches! I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the variety of topics that were described by each student. I can tell you from personal experience that it was very nerve-racking to go on the first day. I thought that Matt’s enthusiasm and well-rehearsed demeanor were very enjoyable to listen to while he delivered his speech to the class. The liveliness in his voice accompanied with a few appropriate gestures made his speech very easy to listen to and watch. I also thought that Jenny presented her information very effectively. She included only relevant questions in her presentation, and it was very interesting to learn about the Dean of the Schreyer’s Honors College at Penn State. These were just a few examples of people and things that stood out to me, but overall, I thought that every single person that presented did a wonderful job. If I were taking tips from anyone, it would be Sam! I thought that her eye contact and voice control were excellent, and you could really tell that she had practiced her speech before its delivery. Some things to consider:
- Try to avoid using ‘like’, ‘um’, ‘uh’, etc.
- Maintain eye contact
- Don’t get nervous! Take your time and consider what you are going to say before you say it.
- Have fun up there!
Good luck to all of those who have not presented yet. I am looking forward to hearing some more speeches tomorrow!
Your topic was a really good one! I could tell you were passionate about it. And I agree with the criticisms of using voice fillers, more eye contact, and not being nervous.