Terry 1

Madison Terry

Lisa Tyler

English Composition I

17 September 2021

Spanish Presentation

For as long as I can remember, I have always hated presenting. Something about talking

in front of the class always made me unbearably nervous, but what happened at the beginning of

my freshman year has made me get over my fear. Of course, I am over my fear now, but I will

never forget that day in Spanish class.

It was a cold morning, sometime in the middle of October, and the only thing I could

think about was my Spanish presentation. From the moment I woke up to the time I walked into

Spanish class during third period, it was the only thing on my mind. When I entered the room,

most people looked a little worried. Everyone walked around the classroom comparing their

projects until the bell rang. I walked in and sat down at my desk in the back of the classroom.

The class was big, so students filled every seat. Pictures and posters with Spanish vocabulary and

phrases filled every wall from top to bottom. Bright colors and small things from other countries

filled the room.

After the teacher took attendance, we all sat anxiously waiting to present. The teacher

used small white index cards with our names written on them to call our names, which made my

anxiety even worse. I felt more anxious as each person presented. I breathed in and out to try to

calm down, but nothing seemed to help. Finally, after about ten people presented their project to

the class, the teacher called my name. I had all of the papers I needed for my project organized
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neatly on my wooden desk. I felt my heart rate fasten as I grabbed my things and walked to the

front of the classroom.

It was silent as I stood alone in the front of the classroom and waited for my teacher to

get the rubric ready. I stared at the cracks in the off-white tile floor as the teacher organized the

rubric. When she finished, she looked over expectantly, and I began my presentation. When the

first words came out of my mouth, it felt like my throat was closing, and I could barely breathe.

My hands were shaking so badly I could barely read the words on my paper. I tried to hold the

small white poster board differently to make the shaking less noticeable, but it looked the same

each way I held it. As I continued my presentation, all I could think about was how badly I was

shaking and if people had noticed. As I read my presentation, I could feel my classmates staring

at me and could see the teacher writing with her bright red pen.

Just as I was starting to calm down halfway through my presentation, my teacher said to

me, “muy alto,” and told me to be louder. I replied with a quiet “okay.” I got slightly louder and

finished my presentation. My hands were still shaking when I handed my teacher my small

poster board and piece of paper. My knees felt weak as I quickly walked back to my seat and sat

down. After I sat down, I turned around to face my friend that sat behind me. I asked if she could

see me shaking. She replied hesitantly, “Only a little, I don’t think it was that noticeable.”

Looking back, I realize that I had almost no reason to be nervous. I was sure that all of

my vocabulary and grammar were correct. I had read over my project more times than I could

count, and I was more prepared than most of my classmates. After the presentation, I vowed not

to be as nervous about presenting again. When we got our rubrics back, I had received an A, and

my volume took the only points. I immediately regretted worrying so much.

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Now it is a couple of years later, and I have gotten over my fear of presenting. I no longer

shake when I stand in front of the class. When I speak in front of the class, I am not quiet, and I

feel calm. I have realized that if I am well prepared, and I have a good project, there is no reason

I should be nervous.

Over the past couple of years, I have become more confident in the work that I complete.

I will remember that day in Spanish class, not because of how terrible a presenter I was, but

because that day has shown how far I have come.