Communic-isms

Some days I wonder why they would ever put someone like me in charge of 33 college students. And I laugh, thinking how awesome I am that I've tricked the authorities into giving me real responsibilities.

We're discussing public speaking right now.. I've been lecturing on it for a few days, but these little bitties are specifically from my class lecture today.


Me: "Making eye contact with your audience will help keep them from falling asleep."
Student: "Sorry about a few minutes ago. I'll do better."

Me: "Oh heavens...lectures like this severely diminish my credibility."
Student: "No. It's great. You totally bridge the gap between student and teacher."

To the brother and sister in my class:
"You two better get along in my class before I have to call your mother."

Student: "What if I pass out during my speech?"
Me: "We'll drag you off to the corner, let the next person present, and you can finish your speech when you wake up."

Me: "We all love you here. Don't be scared when you speak; it's not like anybody is going to throw something at you while you're speaking."
Student: "What if someone DOES throw something at me during my speech."
Me: "Students, if you throw something at a speaker, I will fail you on your speeches."
Student: "What if my speech is so controversial they can't help it."
Me: "If you're planning a speech like that, let me know beforehand and we'll get you a protective cage to speak from."

They only say and ask things like this because I obviously respond.
Oh heaven help COMM 1010.

But then...sometimes I realize that I really do know things.
For example, this afternoon I turned out a little baby personal-response paper arguing the objectivity of qualitative research. I chose to write on that. Chose the topic out of the air all by myself. And it turned out pretty well because that's a real criticism of communications. And I could discuss it with you in person and have logical arguments. Ten years ago if you had said, "Becky, what's your opinion on the objectivity of qualitative research?" I would have punched you in the beak and run away. But now I really do know things like this.

So while one hour I may be showing my students YouTube clips from Billy Madison and Clueless, just remember that in the next hour I'm waxing eloquent on real scholarly subjects.

And it all evens out in the end.

PS, I went to lunch with roommate Lara today and this is my real-life fortune cookie. I hope this fortune comes true because I super absolutely love it. This is now taped inside my all-knowing school binder.