Osrick Espinoza 9:00am Class Blog 1

 

            Not only am I satisfied with every group’s overall performance, but I am also astounded with the groups’ productivity and willingness to go the extra mile. Especially being a part of group, one has been a great experience that I can only imagine becoming better.

            Firstly, it would be unfair to not acknowledge Olivia and Gabi’s leadership. Throughout the course of our collaboration on the project not only were they always present and focused but they were always willing to put the team on their shoulders if they felt like they needed to.

            Having two great leaders like Olivia and Gabi made a great difference. They were always available in the group chat we had, and even if they may not have been available at a certain time, they made sure to respond to any questions, comments, or concerns. The group effort was there, and it was there because their willingness to take the lead and teeter off each other’s willingness to help.

            Furthermore, I think the atmosphere we as individuals (in group one) created was one unique and very inviting. This atmosphere made sure that not only everyone’s voice was heard but that also productivity was optimized. We all fed off of each other and bounced ideas back and forth throughout the process. Making sure that we were all on the same page, it was hard for anything to come as a surprise to us both in the short and long term.

            Eventually, the day of the presentation came. Because of our thorough planning we made not only an excellent introduction but also an excellent middle and conclusion of the presentation that made it all very cohesive and never dull at any moment. I found myself intrigued with how different everyone’s personality in every group’s was and how each personality gave each presentation its own flavor. As of right now, I must admit, it has been a fair number of days since our presentations, so it is hard to remember all that was said, but there are in fact some things I do remember that have stuck to my memory.

            For example, as mentioned before our group’s cohesiveness was excellent. We all jumped from idea to idea in a very smooth manner and gave up the light to the next presenter in a sophisticated way. Each presenter thanked the audience for their time and gave the next presenter an easy way to transition in.

            Our group’s ability also to manage time was something I knew we would be good at but not something I thought we would be even better at. Everyone gave their share, and their share was never too much and never too little. In the end, each presenter did not go off into intelligible rants that sucked up the time not only for the class but for the other presenters in the group. Each presenter was very concise and consistent with their talking points. From point A to point B, then from point B to point C and boom, conclusion! “Thanks for listening and next is…” is exactly how it went. We were wise with our time because it was not only something we practiced but something we valued greatly because we knew that for starters, the most said in the least amount of time in simple terms keeps the audience engaged and the ready for the next bit. Having this up our sleeves made a great deal of difference, and I am very proud, in a humble way, of our groups efforts at our ability to deliver and transition.

            Let’s not forget every group’s great use of imagery and illustrations. The ability to create thoughts in the listeners mind’s that evoked not only illustrations but also experiences in a way and emotions was awesome. By giving the listeners something to see in a sense, we not only enhanced engagement but also enhanced at our ability to express concepts better. For example, excuse my short-term memory, but I remember a member of group giving their portion of the speech and illustrating the scene of their religious beliefs. From baptisms to anti-abortions, the images of both an individual sharing their experience of being baptized and protesting abortions flashed through my mind. I really appreciated these images because they helped me latch onto what the person was saying.

            Lastly, the fact that every group had fun and were authentic is what really gave every group its own uniqueness. Just from hearing the tone of everyone’s voice, it is easy for me to acknowledge the fact that although some of us were nervous, it was indeed a good nervousness. It was one that was anxious but not one that was anxious in fear but anxious in the fact that this was and maybe was very novel to us. Regardless, new or not, we all had a sense of authenticity in the way that we spoke because we were not afraid to let our nervousness seep through a large smile that gave our talks its own flavor.

On behalf of group one, I believe it’s safe to say that it was very new, but a very good experience. One that will continue to develop as one whole experience as we continue delivering speeches and gaining knowledge not only on the topics, we research but, on the people, we are individually but also the people we are. In the end, we all had a blast, we all left our mark on the way we delivered every concept and word, dialect and emotion in a beautifully authentic way. As only one could imagine, the satisfaction we can all collectively feel is one that is both full of relief and excitement for the next one. On the next, we’ll take what we’ve learned and will continue to not only be authentic in the way that we’re not afraid to be nervous or to share our own beliefs perfectly dressed in the illustrations we communicate, but also have fun in the pursuit of becoming greater and more comfortable, educated and proud speakers.