I was a horrible public speaker.
This was not the first thing that came to mind, but I think it might be the most significant because it ties in with my growing passion and activity within Model United Nations (MUN).
For as long as I can remember, I have never been an outgoing or confident person. I don't like asserting my opinion because I have a fear of being wrong, and sometimes I believe I am inferior to others. Problematic as this shy demeanor can be on its own, it leads to major communication issues as well. I tend to come off as indecisive or awkward, which leads to embarrassment that further discourages me from speaking with confidence.
The height of this problem manifested mostly when I was in middle school. Much of my inability to speak in front of others was reflected when I was required to give oral presentations, participate in plays or present performances in front of an audience of any size. Stuttering and keeping my eyes fixed on the ground, I was not the charismatic public speaker at all. In fact, I was miserable, as my poor public speaking skills led to bad grades and misrepresentation. This was when my mum suggested I take up Model United Nations (MUN), which initially I detested, but soon grew to love and appreciate the most. MUN compelled not only me, but all students participating, to research about "grown-up" subjects such as a certain country's economy, create structured arguments and present these arguments to fellow debaters (formally known as 'delegates').
During my first conference, despite the preparation I had been through, not once did I step up to the podium. For the three days of this event, I sat and watched in awe as total strangers who were just as bewildered as I was on the first day, quickly adapted to become comfortable in front of others. In retrospect, I'd say that this very experience - watching others accomplishing the very feat I wanted to achieve - was a major driving force for me to improve. Instead of giving up, I signed up for another year of MUN. By the next year, during the same conference, I was already seeing improvement, as I won the 'Most Diplomatic' award for being the most presentable and respectful when speaking in front of the committee. From there, my confidence boosted and finally I was beginning to familarize myself with talking in front of a number of people.
I'm still no Obama when it comes to public speech. But I claim that I was horrible at public speaking, because I've improved immensely thanks to MUN and what it motivated me to do.
The height of this problem manifested mostly when I was in middle school. Much of my inability to speak in front of others was reflected when I was required to give oral presentations, participate in plays or present performances in front of an audience of any size. Stuttering and keeping my eyes fixed on the ground, I was not the charismatic public speaker at all. In fact, I was miserable, as my poor public speaking skills led to bad grades and misrepresentation. This was when my mum suggested I take up Model United Nations (MUN), which initially I detested, but soon grew to love and appreciate the most. MUN compelled not only me, but all students participating, to research about "grown-up" subjects such as a certain country's economy, create structured arguments and present these arguments to fellow debaters (formally known as 'delegates').
During my first conference, despite the preparation I had been through, not once did I step up to the podium. For the three days of this event, I sat and watched in awe as total strangers who were just as bewildered as I was on the first day, quickly adapted to become comfortable in front of others. In retrospect, I'd say that this very experience - watching others accomplishing the very feat I wanted to achieve - was a major driving force for me to improve. Instead of giving up, I signed up for another year of MUN. By the next year, during the same conference, I was already seeing improvement, as I won the 'Most Diplomatic' award for being the most presentable and respectful when speaking in front of the committee. From there, my confidence boosted and finally I was beginning to familarize myself with talking in front of a number of people.
I'm still no Obama when it comes to public speech. But I claim that I was horrible at public speaking, because I've improved immensely thanks to MUN and what it motivated me to do.
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