An Account of a Freshman English 102 Class
My face reddened and I felt the droplets of perspiration forming on my back and in the palms of my hands as I began speaking. A hush fell over the classroom and I felt as though everyone had turned their attention to me. This realization that I was being listened to increased my nervousness and I tapped my pen on the desk as I continued, my voice shaking. Oblivious to what the others may have been thinking, I took full advantage of this time to make my thoughts and feelings known. I heard a mutter from the back of the classroom. When I finished my citings and made my final point, the teacher looked at me and said, "That's very true. But..." Old fears engulfed me and I once again withdrew into silence. Someone giggled.
18 January 1991