Speak up in class

I rarely ever talk in class even when I know the answers, but now I’m taking a class where participation is 50% of my grade. I really like the class and I’m not really having trouble understanding the material, but I’m still having a hard time speaking up. I need to do something about that soon so I don’t fail.

The other day I was sitting in class and I had something to say and I could not raise my hand. What inhibits me so? I really don’t know. What am I so afraid of? I’m afraid my voice will waiver, that people will know I’m nervous. So what? I’m afraid people will think my comment is dumb. They won’t. I won’t stand out. I will hardly be noticed and will feel good for having thrown in my opinion.

I went to elementary school. I went to high school. I went to university. Now I’m in post grad and it’s finally time to speak up!! I’ve gotten better at speaking in small groups, but the classroom still intimidates me. My ideas intimidate me. My perception of other people’s perception of my ideas intimidates me.

Seriously… time to let it go.

I just can’t speak up! If the lecturer is good, I get nervous even though I am very engaged. If the lecturer is boring, well I just lose my concentration… I think I have a fear of other people thinking my English is bad, as I am in a class full of native English speakers, but I shouldn’t because my English is good! Godammit! I gotta try though… there is presentations coming up too shakes visibly

I have to conquer this somehow because the 4th year class I’m taking has a 30% mark for presentation and 20% mark for participation!

I have never in my life been able to speak up in class. Since this is my last year at school I thought I shouldn’t hold back and fight the butterflies in my stomach…but where to start?

It’s going alright for me now. Beside chicks like those with good communication skills, so whether you’re right or wrong in some dumbass class, does it really matter now?

;)

I don’t care anymore. I don’t need other people to know that i know the answers, okay so maybe i need my lecturers to know but i’m sure they can gather what i know from assignments. It’s just something that i’m never going to be comfortable with doing, i’m just not one of those people, i’ll speak up in discussions, if i’m passionate about the subject then i’ll say something but other than that.. i’m fresh out of words.

done it! peice of cake actually, why the fuck was i so nervous about talking in the first place? lol words dont bite, it was pretty awsome & now i get told that we wouldnt have dman class discussions if it wasnt for me and some nerds like ;)

I was in a seminar the other day and every question my lecturer asked i knew the answer to but i said nothing because i was scared i was wrong, i’ve been doing this my entire life. It pisses me off because i know i’ll remember more if i contribute and the people who do speak up are usually fxcking annoying and they piss me off but i guess that’s just because i’m jealous and wish i had the guts to speak up too. I just get really frustrated when i realise i could be doing better and showing my potential but fear gets the best of me.

It takes guts. Trust yourself to be able to ask questions, especially when it’s so likely that everyone else has the same or similar questions. You’ll do much better in class, I promise.