Page 8 - Voices-2021-05

COVER STORY

your day. If you literally don’t die of
embarrassment, you’ll get another try.

I also plan on utilizing the soundcheck
and embracing the phrase “testing
1-2-3” in the future.

Get Over Yourself

I was in love with the concept of my
first speech more than the message it
provided. When delivering any speech

four contestants. I was surprised I did that well. I try to remember the audience is
Next up—the International Speech Contest. giving me 5-7 minutes of their life! That’s time
As the first speaker, I was excited and ready! My they’ll never get back and it’s not helpful for
speech was about my first Evaluation Contest them to hear an opera of mi mi mi.

after I had contracted non-contagious walking After my second-place finish and discovering
pneumonia. I shared the challenges I faced in that both winners would go on to compete in the
competing in spite of said pneumonia. I felt good Area Contest, I assessed my options and deployed
talking about that contest during this contest the next lesson immediately.

which I thought was a unique concept. It earned
me a second-place finish with no technical Change Strategies
glitches. If something doesn’t work, change it! Coming
Hooray! In this case, there were only two in second place told me my speech had to change

people competing and I didn’t get disqualified, before the Area Contest. I assessed the speeches I
so I was guaranteed to get either first or second had given in the past year and “Drop Shot” kept
place. Perhaps not a huge level of competition coming to mind. I could use it in this year’s Area
but a good go for the effort I made. Contest because I had only presented it within

my club. What I liked best was its message of how
Lessons Learned trying different things and failing will eventually
lead to your victory. It was also fun to perform
Life Happens the corresponding running, swimming, and

The notorious mute button is not your friend! badminton gestures.
Seriously, I learned having a bad experience Practice, Practice, Practice

didn’t mean I was doomed forever. Sometimes Though I gave this speech the year before, I
things don’t go as planned. Perhaps it’s not was rusty. Changing the entire speech meant

8 ONE COMMUNITY