like a solider

yesterday was my big speech for the SRS and I tried as much as possible to approach it like a professional conference. I made a powerpoint, I made handouts, I wrote out a speech with notes to myself about when to reference the ppt and when to reference the handout. I practice it. a lot. so much so that my voice was super coarse.

the whole experience of it was interesting, to say the least. It wasn't my first time giving a speech on the topic, and it was material I'm pretty comfortable with, given that I've focused on it for the last 3 years or so, haha.

but it was my first time giving the speech that wasn't in an class type situation, and the first time I had to give it to an audience that, largely, had no real ancient history background. I was being judged by people from the school's advisory/senate boards, the philosophy department, and the like. No history, and definitely no greco-roman/classics judges.

and the day was pretty busy for me. I had to be on campus so I could edit my presentation before the conference started, at 7AM. Needless to say, I showed up to school wearing jeans and a sweatshirt. I had thrown all my clothes/accessories/shoes in a bag and in the trunk of my car, hoping against hope that they wouldn't wrinkle.

Meetings with students/ meeting with thesis formatter, mixed with a bit of breakfast--oatmeal-- and coffee--soy vanilla latte.

Finally from 10:30-12:30, I locked myself up in my office to, as I like to say, get ready for battle haha. And, to be honest, I felt a little bit like a soldier, or like michelle kwan when she used to lock herself up before going on her battlefield, the ice rink. but I digress.

what I mean was, after practicing my speech a few hundred more times, it was time to get ready.

I sounded the battle drums I put on some "get hyped"/ "trash talking" hip hop music (HAHA)

I painted on my warrior face I put on make up

I carefully strapped on my battle armor I put on a suit

I polished my weapons I checked my handouts and ppt

I meditated to clear my mind for battle I meditated to clear my mind for battle

same thing, right?