When I think about being anonymous the first thing that comes to mind is public speaking but more specifically, presenting in school. It’s not so much a fear, it’s more of just being uncomfortable. I’ve never enjoyed presenting and when it’s mandatory for a class, I always wait until the last possible moment. But back in 2019 I was given an opportunity out of luck. My CST professor had given us all a final project in which we also had to make a powerpoint to go along with it and it was mandatory to present for at least 10 minutes at the end of the semester. All semester long I tried to think of multiple ways to get out of presenting but every time I thought of something my professor would either say ” If you don’t present then your grade drops down a letter grade”, or “if you’re absent during your presentation time then you’ll go the next day”. At this point in time I was upset because I knew there was no way out of this. The time had come, it was the week before presentations and my professor had put up the list of when everyone was scheduled to present. I was scheduled for the second day. Right off the back I knew I was gonna wait it out and be last to present. Fast forward to the day of presentations and I was still thinking of a way to get out of this. There was 5 other people besides me who had to present. One by one they all decided to get it over with but I had no problem with them going before me. Finally the 5th person I up to present and now I’m nervous. The student is about 5 minutes in, when the fire alarm goes off and we all have to leave the building. This fire drill saved me from the torture because the next class I acted like I presented. I had pre uploaded my power point on the computer so it really looked like I presented the previous class. At the start of class the professor had read the names of the students who had presented and mines was one of the them. All my classmates looked at me when he read out my name and I just gave a nervous laugh. From that point on I acted like I was a ghost, I didn’t move or make a sound and as soon as it was time to go I ran out. I had to act like this because I was nervous someone would snitch me out but luckily I just sat quiet for the rest of the week and was able to make it out alive.
About
Professor: Jessica Penner
Email: creative.writing.citytech@gmail.com
Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM. I’ll be available through Zoom and will send an invitation via email that you should keep all semester. Try to join my meeting at the start of the hour, not at the end—since I may be talking to other students or have another appointment after the hour is up. If those times don’t work with your schedule, we can schedule a different time. This means you’ll have to schedule an appointment in advance. I suggest you have multiple times in mind, since your schedule may not mesh with mine!
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Ursula C. Schwerin Library
New York City College of Technology, C.U.N.Y
300 Jay Street, Library Building - 4th Floor
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