One class that really challenged my communication skills was Writing for Rich Media. For one assignment, we were asked to create a podcast episode of something interesting to us. I was filled with anxiety when I hear about this assignment. I think of myself as a strong writer, but not so great as a public speaker. When people learn that I am a communication major, the assumption is that I am a great speaker. Public speaking skills are important for any major, but it is not my strongest method of communication. So, though this assignment wasn’t necessarily public speaking in that I was standing in front of an audience, I had to give a speech to an imaginary audience.

 

We were able to create our podcast episode based on something that was of interest to us. Since I enjoy reading, I talked about my favorite book Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. The theme of my podcast was about classic novels becoming a reality in the 21st century – much like the ability to pick and choose what news we want to hear, something discussed in 451.

 

Recording the script took me a very long time. I was nervous and kept stumbling over my words, even though there was no one in front of me that I was presenting to. I rehearsed my script over and over, getting it as close to perfect before I was able to record all the way through without stumbling. The experience is one I will never forget. It helped me grow my verbal communication skills in a way I didn’t expect. It made me focus more on the tone of my voice and helped me recognize how many filler words I typically use when speaking. It also helped me grow my writing skills so I can adapt my writing to have a specific voice. This project is one of the most interesting and rewarding I have done.