My communication skills are severely lacking. I am a writer and assistant editor for Baruch’s undergraduate school newspaper, The Ticker, and I often need to interview other students and faculty for articles and features. I certainly would like to be able to confidently speak to another person without appearing unprofessional and uncouth, as I often feel like I am presenting myself. A journalist needs to be able to assuredly speak to other people in a formal context; a special value is put on appearing as a knowledgeable person and someone who would like to learn more. My current communication style is a bit lackluster, and I know for certain that there is a lot of room for improvement. I have trouble keeping eye contact, sometimes I will trail off and lose my train of thought, and I have a tendency to stutter and even freeze up. These are the things I fear will make me seem like an amateur, and will consequently bring down everyone’s opinion of me. I would definitely love to be able to speak without stuttering or freezing up; I think that may be my main weakness. I know that I am knowledgeable about the subject, and I want to be able to portray that when speaking to people. I want to build the confidence to not be afraid to talk to a person. My only obstacle is my own confidence. I want to be a better journalist, and I need to be a better speaker to do it.