Script:

Hi, my name is Abigail Mullin. My hometown is Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and this semester I am taking English 1101, Travel and the Personal Essay, with Dr. Lux. My major is Materials Science and Engineering, and I plan to pursue a concentration in biomaterials. An element of WOVEN communication that I could certainly improve upon is the nonverbal component. Presenting in front of others evokes my anxiety long before I am in front of an audience. This worry about how I am being perceived manifests in trivial ways such as indecision about how to style my hair, what outfit to wear, and what shade of nail polish might make the best impression, but it also has more profound effects on my nonverbal presenting confidence. At times, I can feel my hands quiver uncontrollably, or I might feel a bit queasy. These sensations bring me out of the moment and prevent me from allocating focus to important presentation skills like eye contact, relevant gestures, proper posture, and using an engaging tone of voice. During high school, I particularly struggled when presenting at all school assemblies. These presentations all pertained to topics I was passionate about, but my anxiety severely diminished my enjoyment of the experiences and ability to meaningfully connect to my audience. One way I have strategized to overcome this challenge is to practice in front of small groups of people I know well. Their friendly faces should provoke less anxiety, which will enable me to intentionally practice my nonverbal communication skills. I have faith in this plan because during class presentations, where I felt extremely comfortable with the instructor and group of my peers, I felt more grounded and able to confidently and effectively present my ideas.