Hi Mam,

I am planning to write this as if no one's going to read it. Ha, I will maintain a certain level of decency in my narration
however.

13-1

Today was my first day of EPS. Class started with a bang and the same level of excitement as I expected hearing out
my friends who had previously taken the course. There she entered the lady in pink and everyone knew she is one
modern outspoken frank and strict instructor, beforehand.

I didn't know that we will have public speaking the same day itself. Somehow it made me nervous. (I will add to this
later).

Everything was made perfectly clear, each doubt, however ridiculous it may have sounded. Being utterly FRANK is
what I think will set this course apart from every other course. People started out quite good, in fact no one seemed to
be nervous but yeah, I was. What if I go next? I want to go but what if I could not say the apt and beautiful things I
wrote in notebook to her question? (I think I put things in a more dramatic and effective way by writing rather than
speaking. I don't know may be because I have time to think/rectify.)

Those things bothered me and I did not go. When she said that those who came up themselves, half of their problems
are solved, I was like "Am I still that under confident after delivering so many flawless speeches in school, after being
school captain, etc. etc." as every other BITSian who didn't get chance might have thought.

As for me, I have been quite fluent when I chose to speak publicly. But there always had been two things from the
beginning itself.

1. I had already prepared what to say at least a couple of minutes of thinking in my head, if not written on paper.

2. My heart pounded very hard no matter how confident I am that I am not going to mess up.

I hope by the end of the course, I overcome these two things. I hope I become a -spontaneous and confident- public
speaker.

Except that I did not speak, the only other thing that bugged me was the TA. I have seen him before in TRW class
giving a demo presentation. I found it ridiculous when he said "go to hell". That made no sense to me at all. It was
neither funny nor apt, not even fitting in his previous sentence. Moreover, Madam was present there. Rest all was fine
and I look forward to maintaining my A.

16-1

As I hoped to introduce myself to the class, being in the other half of UNSUNG heroes, many others still were hoping
that somehow that session still gets postponed.
We had a fun activity today. "To build up a story from a place that the previous team had wrote."

I was in group 4. Ideas came on popping in my mind, mainly from the series that I have watched. And they all seemed
fantastic to me. I could not get everyone to agree to me as no one had spent so much IDLE TIME watching series I
guess: P. But I was happy that at least the our group's story began with the sentence that I suggested. All members put
equal amount of sentences in it. Again when the narrator were to be announced, I was afraid of speaking incorrectly
due to scribbles and doctorial handwritings of the other teams. So, again I didn't stand up for narration. And yeah, I
regret that again and I am realizing that while writing this XD. Had fun building up stories n ridiculing the clicked
dream plot in every other story.

18-1

Finally, I spoke after 3 EPS classes. Today's activity was one I had already been made aware of by my friends. Word
pick and spontaneity. 8/9 people were made to sit on the stage. Starting with some random word for the first person,
he passed on a new random word to the next person and he had to speak for almost 30 secs or till madam was
satisfied. Ya she abruptly stopped people who were just going on speaking. And made shy people talk forcefully. I got
her point though; what if you are given the stage and you run out of thoughts or audience throws random words at you
to say something about. It was all about how CREATIVE and FLUENT you can get.

I was given "pizza". Well it was easy for me, remembering my last road trip and roaming interstate boundaries in
search of Dominos. I think I did well. I gave the word PIKACHU to the next guy. To my amazement, he stopped after
saying probably the funniest thing in the whole activity. "Pikachu is an ANIMAL from Pokmon". It's Pikachu! Who
cannot think of anything about Pikachu? Ash, 5-5:30, Pokmon GO anything. But no! He stopped there itself. It was
fun activity and I finally got to unwrap myself here into the world of Public Speaking.

20-1

We were in for impromptu. I had seen guests performing this in Audi but to perform it myself that too speaking in a
way that I don't was a little difficult for me. I and AKshay Dharmavaram were in one team. The impromptu scene was
to exchange gifts one after another (i.e. 2 impromptu sessions). I gave him sand and he gave me a burger. He was
plain in narrating that to madam but I made it a little funny as I had done almost every time I was made to speak. I
remember my sentence ended with "This was lying outside, and since you are hungry, (he takes a bite), the rest is for
you. This is my love for you brother." And people clapped and laughed. That itself instilled a great deal of confidence
in me. May be, I have not yet developed effective public speaking skills but at least I can be a little funny and people
like what I say. This is a little bit of exaggeration but that's what I felt. And yes, I regret saying "sh*t" while speaking.
I regretted it the moment I uttered the word. However I replaced it when madam asked me to repeat. I was terrified.
But I hope she does not remember it: P

Our class ended with story making spontaneity where 8 people had to build up a story and end it in a satisfactory and
logical manner. All were ok and madam pointed out mistakes and major flaws in each of them that I listened to very
carefully because I myself was making up story and the plot as the people in front were continuing speaking. The
class ended with madam saying that next class will be an evaluative one with the above activity.
23-1

Today was the only class. I think where no one was made to speak publicly as an activity. Rather I spoke twice giving
my viewpoints over the speeches of Modi and Dhananjay. I had made bullet points while watching their videos. I said
what I felt were most and crucial qualities in both of them as public speakers. Madam agreed to many opinions given
by the students. But when she gave her viewpoints, those seemed to be the most significant yet ignored ones. I felt
that we should have an activity separately for observing and sharing our thoughts over speakers (in videos and
seminars). But being as EPS class was meant to hone our skills of speaking and not judging others that seemed quite
improbable. So, I refrained from talking to madam about the same.

25-1

We had a picture story telling session at the start. Madam seemed to be a little over crirical in her feedback. None of
the students who came up were given any positive remarks (except the TAs who were generous and soft spoken as
exepected. I liked building up evryone else's stories(an easy job sitting in the audeince). At the last madam hinted us
to attend every calss from now on. The valuative ones may start anytime.

27-1

We had an intructive class(as in where no public speaking takes place, but writing notes). We got to know about types
of public anxities, their cause and braod ways in which one can overcome it. The most peculiar thing abiut today's
calss was people kletting out their personal issues (parental). It is ok if they wan to share but what if no one wants to
listen. One might not have the problems they do, but being humans, we crave to amplify our own problems and
misidentifying them, comparing our problems with them, putting ourselves on top and feeling good that we don't have
such issues. I found it awkward(not inapprpriate). Other than that, the calss was smooth. I feel good that I ask doubts
(publicly, if that counts) more frequently than ever.

30-1

Today was an analysis day. We got to measure out levels of Public Speaking ANxiety by means of standard qestions
and scale. My score lay in the mid range where there isn aoptimum sxope of improvement. Most of the students fell
into the same range (my score was 103). The questions were based on our thinking an d mena=tal processes while we
were made to speak or prepare for speeches, etc;. I shared my story of school where I ahad abruptly stoppped shile
delivering farewell speech to out beloved vice rpincipal. Later on, we were made to see a wrold champion PS, who
spoke on bulliees and bullying and how to cope with them as well the bully inside us.

8-2 (After Quark)

We had our first evaluative activity today. It was STORY TELLING. Scenario was different today. Ideas were not
popping up in my mind although I was a spectator the whole time; my name was not called out today. Plus, madam
had gone pro in criticizing. I could hear no positive remarks for anyone. Did everyone do so bad? I dont think so. I
have always admired good plot, over speaking, even if this was an EPS class. So, I thought people who brought
significant interesting plot twists needed a little (much needed) appreciation.
10-2

My turn finally came. I sat at 2nd place. So, I tried building up the story. I did a decent job in that term but I messed up
with speed and my hands were clasped :/ I didnt notice that at all while speaking. Ridiculous mistake on my part after
being told repeatedly not to do so. I did justice to the story. I wasnt nervous. But I failed at delivering. It might be a
6/10 performance I think.

13-2

The final batch finished off with their story telling. I could have done a lot better, I felt after the activity was over. But
its all about improvement. This sem is also about grades to me and not just interest in subjects, altough I do believe
that the former comes with the latter. But I have to push myself for its sake.

15-2

Theory class. I had never really paid attention to the audience till now. Just knowing that they are listening seemed
imp enough to me. But one has to engage them., And how is that done? This theory class was all about that.
AUDEONCE ANALYSIS. I will try to incorporate these attributes into my next activity (which is going to be Self
Intro).

17-2

Impromptu feels so at ease when among friends in the most comfortable language i.e. Hindi. Me relying on writing
hasnt helped me speak very well (using good words and vocabulary) in English among the same people. Prop
Activity will surely take these into considerations, whereas I will try to incorporate these too in my Self Intro.