First day of courses - Day 3

Picture Credit: Wix.

Date: August 23, 2022 3 hours Total hours: 11

As the first day of classes arrived, I felt the nervousness throughout my body. Public speaking has never been my strong suit, making this experience a significant stepping stone in my personal and professional growth. Despite the jitters, I was determined to embrace the opportunity and push myself beyond my comfort zone.

Our initial course, SMG 375, was the one where I took on a more prominent role. I found myself leading the introduction and guiding the class through the syllabus. While sharing the course overview, I occasionally stumbled or missed a few points, but Dr. Tiell provided support, interjecting with additional notes and filling in any gaps I may have missed. Her presence reassured me, reminding me that I had a knowledgeable mentor by my side.

The second course, SMG 370, offered a bit of relief as I had less of a speaking role. Dr. Tiell took the lead in this class, allowing me to focus more on the technical aspects. I took charge of ensuring all the necessary materials were readily available, smoothly navigating between different resources as Dr. Tiell covered the course overview. Drawing from my own experience as a previous student of the course, I sometimes include small side notes that I believed would provide additional value and insights for the current students as I had just taken the course myself the year prior.

While my nervousness persisted, I gradually gained confidence in my ability to contribute to the classroom dynamic. This experience forced me to confront my fear of public speaking and served as a catalyst for personal and professional growth. With the guidance and support of Dr. Tiell, I knew that this semester would be an invaluable opportunity to develop not only my knowledge of the subject matter but also my communication and leadership skills.