Timing is Everything

Hello everyone,
I have a great story to tell all of you.  Something that I am all too familiar with, and I probably should not be. And this is lightening the mood.

Don't get me wrong, when you meet a new person, being able to say the perfect thing to make them feel comfortable is great.  But saying something at the beginning of a presentation, well you be the judge of this one.

I was partnered up with a girl to do a debate today.  We had practiced and studied and new exactly what to say when.  We were going against another team, one that we knew would not be difficult to challenge.

The class started and we had a few minutes, so we waited. Both of us were nervous. The tension was rising.  Neither of us was saying anything.  Millions of thoughts ran through my head.

I don't get nervous talking in front of people.  But as I looked over I saw my partners hands were shaking.  I told her." oh I'm nervous too." thinking it would calm her down a little. 

But it didn't.

So my mind started racing.  We only had a few seconds before the presentation started, and my partner looked like she was freaking out.

10 seconds. Come on Amanda think.

5 seconds. I can see our opponents about to start.

2 seconds. I tap my partners shoulder.

1 second.  She looks me in the eye.

time.  My teacher tell the other team to start.

1 second in. I lean into my partner and whisper the first thing that comes to mind.

"I have to poop."

We both laughed obnoxiously for a good minute while everyone else in the classroom stared.  They, fortunately, hadn't heard me.  After they got us to settle down, telling us we were very rude, I noticed my partner wasn't shaking anymore.

So my plan worked.  My weird strange, don't try this at home last minute resource worked.

But does that make it great?

Just remember to laugh sometimes.
-Amanda