Rhi Axtell – Writer

I entered the classroom for my counselling lesson earlier this week and stepped into a bubble of nervousness*. Nobody really knew what to expect. It was time for our group presentations.

*Which I enthusiastically contributed to.

We had all been acting weird before this too. For example, no group had shared their presentation topic with any other groups. As a result, there was a potential that we had all chosen the same topic and were about to listen to the same information delivered over and over again, with varying degrees of success.

My group had chosen the Three Core Conditions of Person-Centered Theory*. We had chosen this because there were three conditions, and three of us. We could take a condition each and talk about it. Excellent.

*I’m not going to go into what they are here, but I have a presentation on it, should you be particularly interested.

But then there was the other issue – the talking issue. We were three quiet introverts, all not known for speaking up much in class. I know I really struggle to raise my hand in a classroom, even if I know the answer. So it was that, times three. And we had to deliver a presentation together.

The idea of group presentations also makes me wrinkle my nose a little bit because they are an assessment method that benefits those among us who are more extroverted. You are marked on your clearness of voice, your eye contract with the audience, the presence you bring to deliver your information. It even said in the marking criteria that we were required to deliver part of the presentation each – we couldn’t all just work on the research part and then lump the actual presentation part on the most confident of us (which in this case was the member of the group with acting experience – me).

We were also together because all three of us had been too nervous to pick other classmates during the ‘choose your group members’ section of class. We just sat in silence until there was no one else left. Another way in which this experience benefited the extroverted.

However, another member of the group had a great idea – what if the more nervous of us put our presentations in video form? We could introduce the video and then play it. Job done! Each of us set about researching our individual topics and then they were duly put into video form – complete with catchy music. All, that is, except one person who decided to be especially awkward.

Yes, fine, it was me. In my defence, my topic was on ‘congruence’ (also known as genuineness or realness) and I wanted to be genuine in front of the audience, so I decided to speak instead. Did it make the presentation a bit lop-sided? Maybe.

Did the videos work? Yes! One of the audience members said as they were dyslexic, the video allowed them to take in the information one word at a time. Look at that, our presentation was accessible!*

*”Didn’t you just say you didn’t use a video, Richard? Wouldn’t that make your part less accessible?” YES OKAY FINE. YOU GOT ME.

Also, even though I am an introvert, I am incredibly comfortable in front of an audience. Years of acting on stage has given me this skill.

I checked my heart rate on my Fitbit before the session and it was a bubbly and nervous 105. By the time I was standing in front of the class and about to present, it had come down to a chill 75, much closer to my resting heart rate. It’s a strange thing – I struggle in one to one, but give me a group of people, and a script, and I am happy to leap up and talk. Just more proof that introvert does not always equal shy.

The following day, though, my energy levels we basically non-existent.

In the end, it worked out. I’m really happy that I ended up with the teammates I had, because we managed to work around our challenges and produce a great presentation. Go us!

And I only freaked out a little bit.

A tiny bit. Barely noticeable.

See you next time.