The importance of communication by Reeva

The importance of communication by Reeva - January 2023 Scholarship Essay

Communication is a major part of our daily lives. I believe that in order to get a leadership position or even gain respect, public speaking is an essential skill one should possess. An elective I think should be a required class is Communication and Public Speaking. The ability to communicate well is just the foundation to building confidence and strengthening your people skills. In this day and age, good speaking and interview skills are staples to score most entry level jobs and beyond in our society. Being able to effectively express yourself to your future employer or potential boss is a significant quality because you need to sell yourself well to impress them.

In an article called “What we fear more than death,” by MentalHelp.net they revealed, “Certainly the vast majority of people rank fear of public speaking as number one – 75% according to the National Institutes of Mental Health. For some people, this means a fear of speaking to large groups. For others, it means speaking to even a single person if that person has the power to evaluate you, as in a supervisor, interviewer...” Internalizing the fact that public speaking is the number one fear of the majority of people brings the urgency of learning this skill to the surface. For many this may mean breaking out of your comfort zone, as the quote accentuated. Therefore, public speaking and communication classes should encourage students to put themselves out there.

Since the worldwide pandemic that hit us in March 2020, I have noticed a lack of deep connection and interaction among the students of Generation Z and especially Generation Alpha. Because of forced time spent at home during lockdown, the public had to succumb to the reserved walls of their residence. In an article called “Take Away Their Cellphones… So we can rewire schools for belonging and achievement,” by Education Next they disclosed, “The students who came back to us had spent long periods away from peers, activities, and social interactions. For many young people—and their teachers—the weeks and months of isolation had been difficult emotionally and psychologically. Some had lost loved ones. Many more had endured months in a house or apartment with nearly everything they valued—sports or drama or music, not to mention moments of sitting informally among friends and laughing—having suddenly evaporated from their lives. Even students who had escaped the worst of the pandemic were out of practice when it came to the expectations, courtesies, and give-and-take of everyday life. Perhaps as a result of this, their social skills had declined.” This quote emphasizes the detrimental consequences on students’ social skills that lengthy isolation and more-than-normal cellphone usage of students have created. Limited connection has led to more screen time, resulting in the lack of physical communication. This quote also highlights the certain hardships students had to go through caused by the unfortunate effects of COVID. This world-changing event created a brief pause in the academic and social progress of our generation. All the more reason to make this critical skill, public speaking and communication, a required class for students.

In short, communication and public speaking are fundamental skills students should have in their tool belt to benefit them in the future. Knowing how to converse well with others will play a key role in earning a well paying job or acquiring a dignified position in your field. Proficiency in these areas will only become more and more important as we move further in time.