Tonight was speech night where I talked about how stress can be beneficial for health. It was anticlimactic and a dull speech but I’ve been struggling so much lately that I just wanted to do something simple and something I didn’t have to spend too much time preparing for.
It wasn’t really something I was passionate about but I think I presented it pretty well. I even went to the Speakers’ Lab to get some extra credit.
My next (and last) speech though… Now that is a speech that I will work very hard on because not only will it be my last, I’ve decided that I will talk about mental health stigma. The final speech is a persuasive speech where we’re to convince the audience to actually do something – like sign a petition, take action etc. I decided on the stigma of mental health because I want this speech to make an impact on my classmates and it’s something I can leave my classmates with for the little time I’ve known them.
I am planning on making the final part of the speech – the “call to action” part – be where they can all pledge to help end the stigma of mental illnesses on campus by tweeting with the #IAmStigmaFree. I haven’t really figured out all the details yet but that’s what I’d like to do. I have been very inspired by many TED talks speeches lately and I hope to someday be a great speaker like those people. I want to make a change in my campus and to share with my fellow classmates that it’s ok to be mentally ill. It’s just as ok to have a mental illness than it is to have a physical one!
I hope my final speech will make the impact I’m hoping for. I hope it’ll get the attention it deserves because tonight’s speech really didn’t. Not only were lots of people on their phones, but probably only 3 people, aside from the teacher, we’re really listening. It’s pretty discouraging but I’m glad that at least I didn’t spend too much effort on it.
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On an entirely different note, I nearly had a panic attack again today in art class. The instructor told us that we have to produce 12 different composition pieces in the next two weeks and knowing how much time and effort it takes to produce even one piece made me panic. I tried breathing techniques but couldn’t stop myself from feeling a lot of negative energy wash over me. I couldn’t quit shaking my legs violently from all the energy that built up inside of me. I thought art class would be easy for me this semester. It’s turning out to be more stressful than what I thought math would be!
Hitting Reset 