Public Presentation Reflection

Running for Vice President

                  Have you ever had to persuade others to vote for you? Have you ever gave a speech, but before giving it you didn't know what you were going to talk about?Last thursday was the big day I ran for VP of my pledge class. I had to give a speech about why I wanted to be the vice president. When doing any kind of speech I have learned to always be prepared and know what to say, so as I was writing my speech, I came across some difficulties on what I would say. I thought about things I have learned as a communications scholar, and also everything I do on a daily. I started by brainstorming the most important information, because I needed those ladies of my pledge class to know what I was going to do. I had a feeling that this speech would not be as good as I would want it too, because I am not a very good procrastinator. 

               Because I waited until the last minute to start this speech, it did not come out good. I went up and started speaking about how my skills have molded me into a leader. I said how I can get any job done, blah , blah, blah, and how I am a good listener, and if they needed me for anything I would be there for them. After my one minute speech I realized that when I first gave the speech I did not address who I was speaking to. For example, I did not say "Dear pledge class", or good afternoon pledge sisters. Along with that I did not say enough about what I could do for them, or how I could be the vice president or even give any examples. The worst part of my speech was that I didn't even make eye contact.  Therefore, my speech was not successful, I did not put in enough time to prepare and I was pretty embarrassed, after watching my other pledge sisters speak for their candidacy; I questioned mines. 

                 Now that I am writing about the speech I gave, it was definitely a wake up call. As a communications major, I feel like speeches are what we must excel in. After giving that speech I checked notes from earlier in the semester of my introduction to communication studies class and I came across the three main things that are necessary for a successful speech as far as content, First Pathos which is how we can appeal to listeners emotions, next is logos; those that reveal logic reasoning. Lastly ethos; those that establish the credibility with listeners. I have learned time and time again how important it is to know who your audience is. So if I could suggest to anyone who gives a speech, always know who your audience is, so that way you can also feel more comfortable. That helps us know more about were going to talk about. I encourage everyone to take more time when giving speeches, and learn from my mistake that procrastination is never a good idea.

Patience is key

Jacqueline Janeiro. 09/09/2011. COMM 101, Introduction to Communication Studies, Fall 2011, Section 3)

Who am i ?

                     My name is Jacqueline Janeiro, I am loud, sarcastic and driven, these qualities might show the Aries in me. People who know me would describe me as a  sophisticated, unique strong young woman who knows what she wants and is not scared to go after it. Born and raised in the Bay Area, I am a huge fan of the Golden State Warriors. I chose this picture, because I love to smile, and  I wish I did it more. I get so caught up in life's problems that I forget to take a deep breath. Some people say I look mean, but thats never the case. I have had so many different experiences, which have left me to study communication, from being on numerous amounts of sports teams while growing up, to writing for my school newspaper, it interests me the way some people communicate. I have also worked in fast food, and about eight to ten customer service jobs, and while I am still learning, some of the reasons why I am not at those jobs anymore have taught me about the way I communicate. 

                     I believe in order to communicate well, one must have patience, because that is something I am still developing. For example, I work at Nike in the Great Mall, Milpitas California. I deal with a lot of rude customers, and customers who do not speak english. It has became extremely apparent to me how hard it is to communicate with those who do not speak the same language as I. And one of the important aspects I want to highlight is that language is not just a form of communication, but so are the gestures and expressions we make. For these small reasons, they have also been why I want to study communications, so I can learn how to communicate more effectively with people. I see communication as an extreme in any work environment, in life period. Communication to me is how a relationship is formed, a person must be able to make sense of something and communicate it, either through gestures, e-mails, voice. Therefore, communication will always continue to change, so we will never be perfect at communicating, however if we are patient it can unlock so many doors. As a communication scholar I am primarily interested in the way people communicate in a work environment, and knowing when to talk, how to talk and what to say.

                        Why do people not think sometimes before they speak? What provokes people to act rudely, nor professional? And, how will communication help me in my future?  Why is it so hard for people to listen and not listen to certain people. What is critical thinking? I see myself as the following; teacher, lawyer, mediator, counselor, or broadcaster. I have learned and acknowledged that in all of these careers, everyone must have excellent communication skills. In the book they talked about how John McCain used pathos, logos, and ethos to sway his voters. I like this because I will have to attempt the same, if I were to become a lawyer, by trying to sway my audience, (jury). One day my dream job would be to become an lawyer and real estate agent so my communication skills are viable.

                    I want to be able to communicate to people that I am not a mad person, I do smile, and I can learn to have patience. I want be able to build more relationships and be an effective communicator overall. My picture is a standout, it shows that I look nice and that I am overall a happy person. I want to be approachable, and to be approachable it all has to do with my gestures, the way I carry myself, and the way I communicate.